Numbing the Pain
by seatergirl71
Summary: Nora dies suddenly, sending the family into a tailspin.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary:** The sudden death of Nora sends the family into a tailspin.

**Rating:** M. For mature audiences only. I will say that this is a dark story, with lots of sex thrown in. Smut, if you will.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing related to the show.

**Note:** This story is set in the future. Casey and Derek are 22, Edwin and Lizzie are 18, and Marti is 14. George is in his 40s. **Pairings:** Multiple.

**Extra Note:** I have not abandoned my other story, _A Slippery Slope._ I am currently working on that one also, just taking a little break to decide where I want the story to go. In the meantime, I am quenching my thirst for smut with this little ditty, which will not be as long as the other story, but it will be heavier on the sex and angst. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it. Let me know. ;)

**Numbing the Pain**

**Chapter One**

Casey moved numbly through the kitchen, gathering up items to make for a meager lunch. It was a beautiful day outside, but Casey didn't notice. She didn't notice much nowadays, her mind filled with memories and regret for the mother who was taken from her too soon.

Nora had died unexpectedly six months ago – the victim of a brain aneurysm. One minute she was carrying a load of laundry up the stairs, the next, she was tumbling down, laundry going everywhere.

Having heard the commotion, George and Marti had gone into the living room to find Nora on the landing, clothes covering her. George rushed and called an ambulance, but it was too late. She had died instantly.

In the ensuing days, calls were made to family members both near and far, and the arrangements were complete. Casey and Derek were called home from university, where they were both in their senior year – Derek at the University of Toronto; Casey at NYU.

Now, in the months after Nora's death, Casey was still trying to get back to the land of the living, so to speak. She had decided to take a leave from school and move back home for awhile, knowing that George was not handling things well. He had sent Marti to live in Toronto with Abby, where she could catch up with her mother on all the time they had missed together. Having Derek there helped, too, as they spent more time with each other than they had in years.

Lizzie had stayed around for awhile, but the stress of not having Nora around was getting to her, and she was starting to act out – getting into fights at school and blowing off homework and friends. At the end of his rope, George finally decided to take Casey and Lizzie's dad up on his offer to let Lizzie live with him in New York. At first, Lizzie was furious and refused to go, but after consideration (and some prodding from Casey), she decided that she needed to be with her only surviving parent and get away from the house that held so many memories of her mother.

So, that left her and Edwin in the house with George, and sometimes Derek, who would pop in unannounced to check on his dad and see how things were going. Casey sighed and looked around the kitchen. Except for the fixings she had out for lunch, it was spotless. Casey spent all her time, energy and grief into scrubbing the house, doing the laundry, keeping up with the gardening – basically taking over everything that Nora did. She knew she was no substitute, but Casey wanted things to run smoothly, to make it almost like Nora was still alive – she was just on a business trip and would return soon – although, in her grief, if she were to look at the situation through outside eyes, she would realize that she was making the opposite affect happen. Because when Nora was alive, things didn't run this smoothly. The house was always cluttered, the laundry was always piled up and the garden always needed weeding. So, in her efforts to make everyone forget, she was actually making it worse, although she wouldn't be clued in to that fact until later.

Casey heard boiling and went over to the stove, turning off the burner. She grabbed the bowl off the island and poured the contents of the pan into it. Placing the bowl on the plate with the BLT she had made, Casey put everything on a tray with a glass of milk and headed downstairs. Careful not to trip, Casey made her way slowly down, eventually coming to George's room. 'What used to be _their_ room.'

Casey didn't have a hand free, so she used her foot to knock on the door. After a few minutes of waiting, Casey nudged the door again, this time pushing it open slightly with a creak. Casey hesitated, then decided to enter, her arms getting tired from holding the heavy tray. She heard him before she saw him. The sounds of sobbing were coming from the attached bathroom and Casey sighed, putting the tray down on the dresser. She stood up and straightened herself out, running a hand over her face. She needed to be strong for George, who had completely lost it after Nora died. Where he was flaky before, now he was downright careless, not having the will to do anything but sit and stare off into space. He was on extended leave from his job, but Casey knew that he would have to go back to work soon to avoid losing the income. Bills were piling up, and Casey was keeping them up to date, but she was aware that the money from Nora's life insurance was running low, and they needed some money coming in if they were to keep the house.

Casey took tentative steps toward the bathroom door, which was ajar. The sobbing was louder now, and she could hear George's anguished cries, along with sniffles and shuddering breaths. She knocked on the door. "George?" She called softly.

Nothing, but the sounds of sobbing suddenly stopped and became soft cries. She poked her head around the door. George was curled up on the floor, leaning against the tub. He was shirtless and had the remnants of what looked like shaving cream on his neck. Casey guessed that he was shaving when he had an attack of grief, which was what Casey called them – attacks. He could be fine one minute, then suddenly be crying like a baby. She knew it well. She had the same problem. But now, she needed to be strong. She and George had become somewhat of a support system, leaning on each other, helping each other get through the day. Not much was said, each was in their own worlds, but Casey knew that George appreciated her stepping in. She had become the woman of the house, which she loved – and hated.

Casey approached George and went to her knees, putting her arms around him. "Shhhhh, it's OK, it's OK." Casey knew it was a lie, she had just run out of things to say in these situations. They both knew it wasn't OK, and they didn't know when – or if – they ever would be. "I made you some lunch. Please, come and eat. You'll feel better." She said, smoothing her hand through his too-long hair. He had let himself go a bit, not cutting his hair since before Nora's passing. Casey was surprised that he even attempted to shave.

George shook his head. "No, I'm not hungry." He breathed out, moving closer into Casey's arms.

She rubbed his back. She wasn't going to push him to eat – not now, at least. That would come later, as she knew he had lost at least 20 pounds, based on how his clothes hung off him. "OK, but let's at least get out of the bathroom, yeah?" She said, gently tugging him with her as she moved to her feet.

George said nothing, but he followed her, and together they moved in the bedroom, where Casey sat him down on the edge of the bed. She moved to get up. "Are you sure you don't want to eat? I brought soup and a sandwich. BLT – just the way you like it." She said hopefully. George was having none of it. "No!" He said, grasping her arm and tugging her back down. "No." He repeated softly, wrapping his arms around her and hugging her tightly.

"OK." Casey said softly, returning the favor and hugging him tightly. Lately she found that George craved human touch, often grabbing her hand and hugging her out of the blue. She understood. She needed that too – she missed her mother's hugs before bed, when she was leaving to go back to school, on holidays . . .

George had somehow maneuvered them back on the bed into a laying position, and he had his head buried in her neck. He was sniffling now, no doubt trying not to lose it again. He was trying to be strong for her, just as she was trying to be strong for him. The thought touched her and she hugged him tighter to her, breathing in his scent. It smelled like he had actually showered, which was a feat for him, as he would go days without bathing until Edwin would gently suggest to him that he should clean up. George would look blankly at him and say nothing, but he would to what Edwin said and go shower.

"I . . . I can't . . ." George was trying to get something out.

"What?" Casey asked, moving away from him slightly to look into his face. "What is it, George?"

He looked up at her, his eyes drowning in pain. "I don't know how I'm going to live again. I can't imagine it."

Casey felt tears jump to her eyes. She couldn't imagine it either. Not having her mother there to see her graduate from college, get married, have children . . . all of it, she would miss all of it. Casey nodded and spoke. "I know, I can't either, but we have to be strong. If not for ourselves, then for the rest of the family." As separated as they were now, Casey knew it wouldn't be like that forever. Lizzie would get tired of living with their father and eventually come home. Marti, too. And Derek? Well, Casey didn't know what his plans were, but she knew he wouldn't be too far away.

Instead of making him feel better, George let out an anguished cry. "Don't you see, Casey? Nora was everything . . . she was my soulmate, my best friend, my confidant . . . everything I ever wanted my whole life, and she was it. Only to be ripped away from me after only a few years . . . it's not fair! It's not fucking fair!" George screamed in Casey's face. Casey flinched, but didn't move. She was used to these outbursts by now.

She reached forward and wiped George's face with her hand. "I know it isn't fair." She paused, then continued. "I wish I could say the word and everything would be better. All the pain would go away, but I can't. I can't." She ended in a whisper, tears leaking out of her eyes and running down her cheeks.

George roused himself out of his own grief and focused in on hers. "Oh, Case. I'm so sorry. I'm so wrapped up in my own pain that sometimes I forget that she was your mother. God, I'm such an asshole." George had also forfeited his role as "dad" and become more of a friend, cursing around her and not saying anything when Casey stayed out all night without calling.

Casey cried silently, looking into his eyes, which were sorrowful against hers. They lay there together for what seemed like an eternity, wrapped in each other's arms and crying softly. When the moment came that both felt like they couldn't cry anymore, George spoke. "Case, I don't have the words to tell you how much I appreciate you stepping in and taking over, well, basically everything. Without you, I don't know what would become of me . . ." he trailed off, looking intently at her.

She said nothing, just stared back and smiled. Suddenly, something changed in his eyes and he looked down at her lips. Casey's heart started racing and she heard warning bells in her head, but she didn't move away, instead waiting to see what he would do next. George shifted his eyes back up to hers and moved forward, putting his hand on her face. "God, you have grown into a beautiful woman. Does anyone ever tell you that?"

Casey said nothing, instead thinking of how many times men had told her that. A few, the last being a one-night stand she had a few weeks ago after going out and getting smashed. She let him pick her up and went back to his place, where they fucked all night and into the morning, until she got up and left before he awoke, returning to her rightful place in this miserable household. She looked at George's face, a man so broken and in need of love, and she did the unthinkable, she reached forward and pulled his face to hers, pressing their lips together.

She kept her eyes open, watching what his reaction would be. At first, his eyes were wide open and he was not returning the kiss, simply letting her press against him. But soon, he changed, and a sound like a growl escaped him and he tightened his hold on her, running his hands down her back and through her hair, his mouth moving fervently against hers.

She didn't know how to feel about what was happening. Instead, she chose not to feel and simply let her impulses take her away – to a place where there was no grief, no crying, no pain. She let herself drown in the pleasures of the flesh, and so far, she was enjoying it immensely.

Casey continued to kiss the man who for years was just her step dad, but now, and forever in the future, she would not be able to think of him as such. Not when they were on his bed together, kissing passionately. Not when he was forcing his tongue into her mouth and grabbing her ass, grinding his erection into her center. Not when he was muttering things in her ear, like, "God, I want you, Casey. Please . . ."

Saying nothing, she decided that this was what she should do. Maybe, after six months of grieving, of feeling nothing, seeing nothing, hearing nothing, maybe this is what would shake things loose, help them move on with their lives. Casey didn't know, and she didn't care. Instead, she disengaged her lips from George's and sat up, ripping her shirt off. She moved forward again and pressed her bra-clad chest against his. He groaned and moved his head down, burying his face in her chest. She cradled his head like a child and closed her eyes, savoring the feeling of his mouth between her breasts. Slowly, he moved his hands to them, covering them gently with his palms and squeezing them. Casey let out a small moan and moved her hands to his face, pulling it up to her so she could kiss him again. Their tongues moved slowly against each other's and Casey reveled in the feeling, her panties becoming wet as her body readied itself for him. Without breaking their lip-lock, George moved his hands around her back and deftly undid the clasp on her bra, removing it from her body and tossing it to the floor. He moved back to look at her then, studying her face, then moving his eyes to her chest, taking in the naked flesh. His eyes widened and he seemed to realize what was happening. "Oh my god . . ." he said, quickly sitting up. "What am I doing?" he asked, leaning over and putting his head in his hands.

Casey sat on her knees behind him and wrapped her arms around him. "George, it's OK, really. We need this. We both need this." She said in his ear, her hands trailing around to caress his chest.

"But I feel like I'm taking advantage of you, and you deserve better than that." George said, shifting for a better view of her face.

Casey shook her head. "No, you're not. I'm an adult now, George. You seem to forget that." She sat behind him and waited, wondering if he was going to pull the plug.

George blew out a breath and sat for a moment, not saying anything. Casey sat with him, her arms still wrapped around him, her breasts pressed against the skin of his back. She shifted slightly, leaning forward to gently nuzzle his neck, her tongue darting out to lick his earlobe. He growled and turned quickly in her arms, pinning her down on the bed with his body. He plundered her mouth with his, their tongues dueling for dominance. His hands made fast work of her shorts and panties, and her hands were busy divesting him of his jeans and boxers. Fully naked, George lay atop Casey, looking deep into her eyes. "I can't say I won't regret this later." He said intently staring at her.

Casey nodded imperceptibly. "I know."

With that, George parted her legs with his hand and grasped his hardness, running it along her opening. She closed her eyes and moaned, opening her legs wider for him. Another moment went by and she opened her eyes, wondering what the delay was. She found him staring at her. "I want to look at you." He stated simply before entering her slowly.

Casey let out the breath she was holding as he filled her with his cock. Slowly, slowly, until she was full. They didn't move for a moment, simply looking into each other's eyes. George leaned forward and kissed her gently before starting to move. Casey kissed back as she wrapped her arms and legs around him, her feet on his ass urging him on.

The feel of him inside her was overwhelming. Since her mother's death, Casey had gone off the deep end a little and started drinking, often making out with random strangers. Soon, it escalated into quickies in bar restrooms, then to going to strangers' houses for sex. She even snuck a guy home once, fucking him in her room on the floor so as not to make the bed move and disturb Edwin, who had taken to sleeping in Derek's room to be closer in case Casey or George needed him.

George moved his lips down her shoulder as he continued to pump himself inside her, finally taking a nipple into his mouth and sucking it, making Casey tighten her grip on him and sigh in his hair. Her hands moved down the sweaty skin of his back, her nails digging in when he hit a particularly pleasurable spot. "Oh fuck, you feel so good." He said in her ear, his pace picking up.

She said nothing, instead bringing her hands to his head and pulling it up to hers. She kissed him deeply, putting all the grief, pain and longing into it, their mouths making love to one another as their bodies were doing also. Casey could feel her orgasm building and broke the kiss, moving her mouth to his ear. "Fuck me," was all she said to make him lose it and pump into her wildly, triggering her orgasm and his. They came together loudly, panting and moaning, their sweaty bodies smacking together.

In the aftermath, they lay together silently, each thinking of what just happened and wondering where things would go next.

**Review please!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

**Chapter Two**

George and Casey continued to lie on the bed, each trying to catch their breath and gather their thoughts. Finally George spoke. "Thank you." He said softly, turning his head to look at Casey's face.

Casey said nothing, but smiled back softly. She turned and reached her hand out to caress his cheek. They lay there looking at each other for a moment until they heard movement upstairs. "Dad? Case? Are you here?" Edwin's voice rang down the stairs from the kitchen.

Casey and George looked at each other and quickly got up, scurrying around to pull on their clothes. George went for the door but Casey pulled him back. "Stay. I want you to eat what I brought down for you, OK? I'll talk to Edwin, and don't worry, this stays between us." She said, looking intently into George's eyes.

George nodded, but said nothing. Casey smiled and left the room, heading up the stairs, where Edwin was in the kitchen. "Hey Ed." She said casually.

Edwin turned and looked at Casey. "Hey Case. How's dad doing?"

"He's OK. I brought him some lunch and he's eating it downstairs, then I suggested he take a nap. He didn't have a good morning." She said.

Edwin nodded. He said nothing and looked around the kitchen, taking in the food. Casey picked up on this and asked, "Would you like me to make you something? It would be no trouble." She added quickly, knowing that Edwin would beg off as to not be an imposition to her.

He smiled. "Sure, I'm starving, actually."

Casey set about making Edwin a sandwich. "Where were you this morning?" she asked as she took two slices of bread out of the bag.

"I had to work early, remember? I told you last night." Edwin said, peering at her closely.

Casey had forgotten, but now the conversation came back to her. "Oh yeah, that's right." Edwin worked at the local grocery – mainly as a bagger, but recently he started working in the back, unloading trucks and stocking shelves. This morning, he had to go in at six and work from then until two. Casey glanced at the clock on the wall idly. It was 2:20 p.m.

She finished making the sandwich and put it on a plate, sliding it across the island to Edwin. "I think I have another can of soup, would you like me to heat it up for you?" She asked, watching Ed take a huge bite of the sandwich.

He closed his eyes, savoring the taste. "Mmmmmm . . . this is good." Edwin said, his voice garbled from the food. He seemed to snap to attention when he noticed Casey watching him waiting for an answer. He swallowed and took a drink of his water. "Uh, no, that's OK. This will be fine."

Casey nodded and grabbed her purse, heading outside. "I'll be on the porch if you need me." She threw over her shoulder before opening the door and heading out. She pulled a chair over by the ashtray and grabbed her pack of cigarettes out of her purse. Shaking one free, she put it between her lips and dug in her bag for the lighter, finally finding it and lighting her cigarette. She inhaled deeply and immediately calmed. This was another behavior that she didn't indulge in until after Nora's death. She knew it was a bad habit, like a lot of things she did nowadays, but she didn't much care. Casey dropped her purse on the ground next to her and stretched out her legs, crossing them at the ankles. Looking around, she noticed for the first time how beautiful the day was. It was sunny, the sky a brilliant blue with fluffy white clouds slowly passing by. She took another drag of her cigarette, her eyes wandering idly next door to Emily's place. Emily no longer lived there, although her parents and Dimi still did. Two years ago, she and Sheldon had married, and they lived in Newfoundland near his family. Casey hadn't seen Emily since Nora's funeral, although she had talked to her by phone a few times and exchanged emails every couple weeks. Emily had been there when Casey needed it the most, even though Emily was heavily pregnant with her and Sheldon's first child – a boy – that was born shortly after Nora's death. Two weeks after the birth, Casey told Emily to go back home to Sheldon and get on with her life. They would be fine here, she had said to Emily, who looked doubtful, but agreed. There was no reason that Emily had to be miserable too. There were too many good things going on in _her_ life to be dragged down by Casey's grieving. That was how Casey saw it, anyway.

She didn't know how long she was out there before she heard the door slam and Edwin appeared, sitting down in the chair next to her. They said nothing for a few moments, and then he spoke. "I just checked on dad. He actually ate everything you brought him and smiled when I asked him how he was doing, instead of biting my head off like usual. That food you made must have really hit the spot." Edwin said, looking sideways at Casey.

Casey smiled. "Well, I'm glad to hear that. He's lost too much weight in too short a time. It's not healthy."

Edwin nodded in agreement. "So, are you working today?"

Casey shook her head. She had a part-time job waiting tables at a pub and grille downtown to bring in a little extra cash. She found that flirting a little with the male patrons (as long as they weren't with their girlfriends) helped to bring in more tips. She had even gone out with a few of them, always pulling back when they wanted to keep seeing her. She didn't have the time or the energy for a relationship right now.

"Nope. I have the day off." She said, leaning back and stretching. "Why do you ask?"

"No reason. I was just wondering if you wanted to see a movie or something." Edwin said, watching her for a reaction.

Casey sat up and looked at him. "Sure. I guess we could do that. What did you have in mind?"

Edwin smiled. "I was thinking we could see that new horror movie that's out."

Casey thought about that. In the past, she would have strenuously objected to seeing a horror movie. Now, however, she found that nothing scared her anymore. "OK. When did you want to go?"

Edwin looked at his watch. "Let me check out show times and I'll let you know." He said, getting up.

Casey nodded and said nothing. She lit another cigarette and thought about Edwin. He seemed to be handling things better than all of them put together. Of course he was devastated at Nora's passing, crying at her funeral and clutching Lizzie, but he seemed to get over that and went on to graduate high school in the top 10 percent of his class. They didn't bother with an open house – no one was in the mood to party – but Casey was determined to make it up to Edwin sometime by throwing him an awesome shindig. Maybe when he turned 19 in a couple months. The gears in her head started turning, ideas forming as to what she would do. Casey mentally made a note to talk to George about it later. He too, felt badly about not giving Ed an open house.

"OK," Edwin said, returning a few minutes later. "There's a show at three o'clock. How about it?" He asked, standing over her.

Casey stubbed out her cigarette. "Sure. Let me just freshen up and leave a note for George." She got up and went inside, heading up to her room and changing into a clean pair of shorts and a different shirt. She felt like she should shower after her "encounter" with George, but she didn't have time. Besides, she quite liked the feeling she had between her legs; she could still feel George's essence inside her. She smiled at herself in the mirror as she brushed her hair.

Moments later, they were headed to the theatre in Edwin's car, a 1999 Chevy Malibu that he had purchased with the money he made at the grocery. It had over 100,000 miles on it and a few rust spots, but it generally ran well and the interior was in pretty good shape.

Later that night, Casey was washing dishes when George appeared, leaning against the counter next to her. "Dinner was great tonight, Case. Thanks." He said, not looking at her.

"You're welcome." Casey said, rinsing the glass she was washing and putting it into the strainer. Their dishwasher had broken last month and they didn't have the cash for a new one, so she became the main dishwasher, with Edwin helping out occasionally.

George stayed where he was, fidgeting with his hands – running them through his hair, tapping them on the counter – it was setting Casey on edge, but she said nothing. "So, where did Edwin head off to?" He asked her.

"He said something about going to Lisa's." Casey replied, draining the sink and spraying it down. Lisa was Edwin's on-again, off-again girlfriend. They had met at a party and their relationship was tumultuous, to put it mildly. Casey thought she was too high-maintenance for Edwin, but it wasn't her place to say anything.

George nodded, but said nothing. Casey thought George felt the same way about Lisa that she did, but they had never actually discussed it. "So . . . Case. About this afternoon . . ."

Casey interrupted. "I know, George, and it's OK."

Surprised, George looked at her. "You do? Wait, what do you know?" He asked confused.

Casey put down the dish towel and turned toward him. "I know that what happened was a one-time thing and should never happen again. And it's OK." She said, reaching out to place her hand over his on the counter.

George looked down at their hands. "Yes. I think it's for the best. But Casey, I don't want you to feel badly about it. It really _did_ mean a lot to me, and I'll never forget it. But I need to find a better way to deal with my grief." He said, staring intently into her eyes.

She nodded and replied, "I know, and I feel the same way. Friends?" She asked awkwardly, offering her hand for him to shake.

George looked down at it and smiled. "Friends." He said, taking her hand and pulling her toward him, bringing her into his arms. They hugged each other tightly, relishing the feeling, as they knew it wouldn't be happening again. Slowly, they moved apart and looked at each other, matching smiles on their faces. Perhaps the future wasn't so dark after all.

A few nights later, Casey was at the pub waiting tables when her old boyfriend Max came in with a bunch of his buddies. In the years since their breakup, they had seen each other around town and at various parties and ironed things out between them. Max had even come to Nora's funeral, which meant a lot to Casey. She smiled when she saw him and moved forward, interrupting the hostess, who was just about to seat them. "Hey Cin, I've got this one, OK?" She said to the blonde, who just nodded and walked away.

"Max! How are you? It's been awhile!" Casey said, stepping forward to hug Max tightly.

He returned the hug and stepped back to look her over. "Hey Case. You look great! I'm fine, and you?" He asked softly, looking into her eyes.

Casey smiled at his concern. "Things are fine, thanks for asking. I'm gonna put you in my section, is that cool?"

Max shrugged. "Sure. Sounds good, right guys?" He said to his friends behind him. Casey recognized a few of them from various parties she had seen them at.

She led them back to her section and showed them their table. "Here's your menus, I'll be back in a bit." She said smiling.

It turned out that Max had briefly moved to Toronto, but he quickly found that he couldn't afford life in the big city and moved back. He had recently broken up with his latest girlfriend and was in the "singles" mode – not interested in a relationship, just having fun. Casey spent her break sitting with them and catching up, divulging her relationship status and agreeing with Max about his philosophy: Relationship, no; fun, yes. Max asked her to hang out with him sometime and she agreed. It would be nice to spend time with him again.

Three hours later, her shift was over and she had just finished counting her tips – 200 dollars and some change. Not bad for a Thursday night. She figured that the table of 10 guys she waited on earlier helped put her over the top. She had let one guy pinch her ass, which usually would have gotten him a black eye, but tonight she was feeling generous.

Casey cashed in her change and went back to her locker, retrieving her things. "I'm heading out, see you guys later!" She called to the remaining employees.

"See ya, Case!" They called back.

She left through the back door and walked to her car, only to find Max leaning against it. She stopped and stared, then continued forward. "Max, what are you doing here?"

He smiled. "I wanted to talk to you a bit more." He said, leaning against the trunk of her car.

She glanced at him and then at her car. "How did you know this was my car?"

Max laughed. "Case, I saw it when I was at your place . . . at your mom's wake, remember?" he asked, his laugh fading and his face looking solemn.

"Oh yeah, that's right. I forgot." They looked at each other for a bit. "Sooo . . . do you want to go somewhere and talk?" She asked.

He smiled. "Sure. Do you want to take my car or your car or do you want me to follow you somewhere . . .?" He trailed off at her expression. "What?"

Casey laughed slightly. "Nothing. I was just thinking how adorable you are."

Max blushed and ducked his head, but said nothing.

"How about we take my car? I could drop you off later, if that's OK." Casey said.

"Sure, sounds like a plan." He said, before getting into her car.

'It's hot in here', Casey thought idly as Max trailed his lips down her neck. The windows were fogged up and she was sweating. Casey had driven them to a place where she often took men – a deserted lot in a park on the bad side of town. Usually, people she knew avoided areas like this out of fear of crime, but Casey didn't care. She snapped back to attention when Max's hand squeezed her breast. 'Things are moving too slow,' she thought to herself before moving away from him and putting her hands on his groin, rubbing his dick. Max moaned and his eyes grew wide. "Case . . .?" He wasn't used to this side of her – he still remembered the girl who would always put the brakes on his attempts to seduce her.

"Shhh . . ." she said, unbuttoning his pants and reaching inside, grasping his dick and rubbing it. She didn't waste much time having him lift his body and moving his pants down his legs. It was hard to maneuver in the confined space of her back seat, but she did her best as she bent over and slid down his boxers, fisting his cock and pumping it with her hand a few times before sliding her lips over it.

"Ohhhhh, fuck." He groaned out, throwing his head back against the seat.

Casey said nothing, working her mouth on him intently. After a few minutes, Max pulled her off him and kissed her passionately, his hands moving down under her work skirt and pulling down her panties. She kicked them off her legs and settled herself on his lap, rubbing her wetness against his erection. "Case, wait." Max said, stilling her movements. "Do you have something?" He asked, looking uncertain.

Casey smirked. "Don't worry, I'm protected." She said, leaning forward and planting a kiss on his neck.

Max looked doubtful for a moment before giving in. He put his hands on her hips and she took ahold of him, positioning his cock at her entrance. She took him in slowly, breathing out.

When she was full with him, she wasted no time in moving, using her legs as leverage. Max said nothing, his hands on her hips guiding her movement on him. They were both breathing heavily, steaming the windows up even more. Max took one hand and placed it over her breast, squeezing it roughly. In response, she increased her speed on him, rising and lowering herself, her tits bouncing with the movement. "Oh yeah, oh god," Max was babbling, running his hands along her body.

Casey's eyes were closed in concentration and she was biting her lip with her efforts. She said nothing, just continued on her quest for completion, to somehow fill the hole she felt on the inside. She could feel her orgasm approaching and grabbed Max's shoulders, moving faster now, the sound of him thrusting in her wetness the only thing she heard. Breathing heavily, she came on him, throwing her head back and convulsing around him. He came soon after, the sight of her bucking on him sending him over the edge.

Afterward, Casey took him back to his car and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "It was fun catching up with you again, Max. Call me sometime, OK?"

Max looked at her tentatively, "Uh, yeah, sure. I'll do that." He said before getting out and getting into his own car. Casey watched him start it before she waved and headed for home.

**Review please!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

**Chapter Three**

Six weeks later, Casey and George sat together at the dining table, planning a surprise party for Edwin's 19th birthday, which was in two weeks. Lizzie, Derek, Marti and Abby were all planning on being there. Even Dennis, Casey and Lizzie's dad, was planning on attending.

"So, I was thinking of having it catered." Casey was saying to George, who was frowning at the idea. "What?" Casey asked.

"Well, how much would that cost? I mean, how many people are invited?" George asked his eyes on Casey.

"Well, I called all of his friends that I know he still hangs out with, which numbers . . ." she paused, calculating the total in her head. "About 20, not counting the family."

"Twenty, huh? Well, where were you thinking of getting the food from?" George was worried. He had just gone back to work and was feeling the pressure of financial burden.

Casey put her pen down and looked at George. "Well, I was thinking I could pull a favor or two from my boss and ask if they could cater it for a reduced fee." She had, in fact, already talked to Jake, the owner, and explained the situation about the party. Jake wanted to help out, he just had to talk to the co-owner, who just happened to be his bitchy wife, Janice, who of course, didn't like Casey. She would have to talk to Jake again tomorrow when she went in to work.

"Well, if it works out, that would be great, although I imagine that we'll have to find out soon in case we have to make other arrangements." George said, doodling on his paper.

"Right. I'll talk to Jake again when I go in tomorrow." Casey agreed. Hopefully she could talk him into doing it. It would save them a lot of money.

Right then, Edwin walked in and Casey quickly hid the notes she had written down about the party. "Hey Ed." She said, glancing at George.

Edwin toed his shoes off and approached them. "Hey." He said, looking from George to Casey. "What's up?" He asked questioningly.

George spoke up. "Nothing, we were just going over the bill situation. We're in pretty good shape for me not working for such a long time." George and Casey continued to lock eyes. It wasn't a _total_ lie – they were at least making the mortgage payments, and the other bills were getting paid, a little late, but they were getting paid.

"Oh, well, that's good. I have some money saved up if you need it." Edwin offered.

George shook his head. "Son, I appreciate the offer, but it's not your job to take care of this family, it's mine. Thanks though." He said, reaching out to clasp Edwin's arm before rising from his chair. "Well, what does everyone want for dinner?"

Casey and Edwin looked at each other. "Uh, anything but your 'famous chili,'" Edwin said with a smirk.

George pretended to be offended. "What? I thought you loved that!"

"Um, no. Last time I had it, it gave me the runs for two days." Edwin said matter-of-factly.

George grimaced. "Well, we don't want that, do we?" He asked, looking at Edwin and Casey, who had an expression of disgust on her face.

"How about pizza?" Casey suggested. If they ordered out, she wouldn't have to worry about being up all night with heartburn.

"Sounds like a plan, but can I get anchovies?" George asked, a pleading look on his face.

Edwin and Casey groaned. "Oh, alright."

The next night, Casey again talked to her boss and got him to agree to cater Edwin's party. The restaurant would provide enough hot wings, salad, pasta and other items to feed 30 people for a total of 250 dollars. Casey thought that was a pretty good deal, considering the other place she had priced wanted five hundred.

Currently, Casey was on the phone with Marti, filling her in on the plans for the party. "So, when exactly are you guys arriving?" Casey wanted to know details so she could plan accordingly.

"Well, I think we're planning on getting there shortly before the party starts, Case. We have to wait until Mom gets out of work before we leave, and it takes an hour to get there." Marti replied.

"Are you all riding together or is Derek coming separately?"

"Not sure yet. Derek's been pretty hard to nail down. He's been really busy with his job and new girlfriend, and we haven't seen much of him lately." Marti said, sighing.

Casey rolled her eyes. There was no way Derek was going to worm his way out of coming. "I'm going to call him and make sure he'll be here." Casey stated. "I should go. It was great talking to you. I can't wait to see you."

"You too, Case. I miss you." Marti said sadly.

"I miss you too, squirt." Casey replied fondly. They ended the call and Casey dialed Derek's number. Two rings later, he answered. "Yo."

Casey smiled at the sound of his voice. It had been awhile since she last talked to him. "Derek, it's Casey, how are you?"

"I'm fine, Case, and you?" Derek said amiably.

"Good. Look, I just got off the phone with Marti, and she didn't know if you were planning on going to Edwin's party or not. I was calling to make sure that you are." Casey said, her voice brooking no argument.

Derek sighed. "Case, do you really think I would miss my own brother's birthday party? Come on, give me some credit, will ya?"

Casey smiled. "Well, I just wanted to make sure, Derek." She paused. "Marti told me you had a new girlfriend. Are you planning on bringing her home to meet us?"

Derek was silent for a moment. "Well, I'm not sure about that. I haven't been seeing her that long and I don't want her to get the wrong idea. You know, taking her home too soon, she might think we're getting married or something." He snorted.

Casey smiled into the phone. "Yeah, we wouldn't want that."

They rang off and Casey got on with planning the party. 'Edwin won't know what hit him,' she thought to herself.

The day of the party came quickly, with Casey trying to pull together the last minute details without tipping Edwin off. She had actually enlisted the help of Lisa, who gladly got Edwin away from the house for the majority of the day, taking him sailing on Lake Ontario in her family's boat. For once, she was glad that Lisa was around. Casey was decorating the living room with balloons and streamers when she heard George come through the back door. "Case! I need your help here!" he called.

Casey dropped what she was doing and went into the kitchen. George had his hands full with grocery bags and a few cases of beer. She moved forward and took two bags off his hands. "Thanks." He said, looking at Casey gratefully.

Their relationship hadn't suffered at all since their encounter. In fact, it had gotten stronger, binding them in a way that Casey couldn't explain. George seemed happier, only breaking down a few times a week instead of a few times a day. He had returned to work and actually laughed and joked with her and Edwin now. This made her very happy. After helping him put things away, she started on the two cakes she was going to bake, not being able to afford getting desserts catered. "Did you get any ice cream?" She asked George, who looked at her blankly.

"Uh, no, I didn't. I guess I figured Edwin was too old for cake _and_ ice cream." He said sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck.

Casey rolled her eyes. "George, no one is too old for cake and ice cream." She said, looking at him until he sighed and grabbed his keys.

"I'll be right back." He said, leaving the house again.

Casey shook her head and went about making her cakes.

Hours later, the house was ready. The party was to start at 7:00 p.m., and it was currently 6:15. People would start arriving soon, so Casey ran upstairs to finish getting ready. She was wearing a new summer sundress she had purchased recently. It was red with spaghetti straps and was fitted at the bust, showcasing her cleavage nicely, then hung loosely below, fluttering softly around her as she moved. Casey rather liked the casualness of it, and plus, it was really comfortable. She slipped on a pair of black ballet shoes and fluffed her hair a little. She would have to get it cut again. Examining herself in the mirror, she touched up her makeup before heading downstairs.

George was in the kitchen setting things out and organizing the food and drinks. There was a big bucket of ice with cans of beer in it and also a punch bowl and soda for the younger guests. George had turned on the stereo and had it dialed to the station he knew Edwin liked. Upon hearing Casey enter, he looked up and smiled appreciatively. "Wow, Casey, you look very pretty. Is that a new dress?"

Casey smiled and twirled around for him. "Yes, thank you. I'm glad you like it."

He smiled and continued to get things ready. Casey took the opportunity to grab her purse and have one last cigarette outside before the guests arrived, especially Lizzie, who didn't like her smoking and always harped on her about quitting. She also didn't want her dad to see her smoking, as she didn't think he knew. She may be 22, but she still didn't want to disappoint her father.

A half hour later, the house was filling up with guests, among them friends of Edwin's from school and his job, some people from the neighborhood, and Lizzie and Dennis, who had arrived from the airport just a few minutes ago. When they entered, Casey ran and gave Lizzie a big hug, showing her little sister how much she had missed her. Lizzie hugged back just as tightly, murmuring in Casey's ear how much she had missed her too. Dennis stood back watching his two girls reunite with a big smile on his face. When Lizzie stepped back, he stepped in and hugged Casey, savoring the feel of having his oldest daughter in his arms again. It had been way too long, and he could see the strain of everything that had happened around Casey's eyes. "Hi honey," he said in her hair. "It's so good to see you."

She smiled and moved back, looking up at him. "You too, Dad. Thank you so much for coming. It really means a lot."

Dennis waved it off. "Hey, I wouldn't have missed it for the world. Edwin's a great kid."

Just then, George entered the room with a beer in his hand. "Dennis! It's great to see you. Thank you for coming to my son's party." He said, shaking hands with Casey's dad. She stood by and watched, smiling at the two men who both meant so much to her.

"George. Thank you for inviting me. How are you doing?" Dennis asked. It was a loaded question, for sure, but George answered it easily.

"I'm doing better, thanks." He said, glancing at the wall where all the family pictures hung. He focused on one of him and Nora, then moved his eyes back to his guest. "Well, there are beverages in the kitchen, and we'll be eating as soon as Ed and his girlfriend get here, so help yourself."

Dennis thanked George and went to grab a beer. Moments later, the door opened and Marti came in, followed by Abby and Derek. "Dad!" Marti called, rushing into George's arms.

He scooped her up and swung her around. "Oh, Marti, I am so happy to see you." He put her down and held her at arm's length. "You've gotten taller, haven't you?"

Marti nodded and smiled. "Dad, I'm not a little girl anymore, you know."

George looked sad for a moment but it passed quickly. "I know, honey, I know." He stood up and approached Abby next. Leaning forward to kiss her cheek, he said, "Hello Abby, it's nice to see you."

Abby returned his kiss and replied, "You too, George. You look good." She said, running her eyes over him.

George smiled. "Thanks, you too." He reached out his hand to Derek, who was standing silently next to his mother. "Derek, glad you made it."

Derek returned the hand shake, and George pulled him into a "man hug" and slapped his back. "It's nice to see you, son." He said softly in Derek's ear.

Derek said nothing, but smiled. During all this, Casey had moved forward and given Marti and Abby hugs, chatting with them a bit and letting them know to help themselves, which was a bit weird, considering it was still Marti's house. Casey turned to Derek, who was looking at her intently. "Derek." She said, moving forward and giving him a hug. "I see you decided not to bring the ball and chain." She said jokingly as she moved away from him.

He laughed and said, "Yeah, I have a feeling that she's on her way out."

Casey laughed. "Well, that's too bad, and I was _so_ looking forward to meeting her." She said sarcastically.

"Yeah, I bet you were." Derek shot back. Casey and Derek had a running gag about each other's dates. He would make fun of her guys and she would make fun of his women. "But let's not talk about that right now. I want you to tell me how things have been going here, really." He said, suddenly turning serious.

Casey didn't want to go there right now. Not when Edwin was about to arrive at any moment. "Can we talk about that later, Derek? Please? Edwin's going to be here any minute." She said, looking at her watch.

Derek seemed to accept that. "Sure, we'll talk later, OK?"

"Count on it." She said, squeezing his arm before heading back to the kitchen for a beer.

A few hours later, the party was in full swing, and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. Edwin had been totally surprised when he walked in and saw everyone waiting for him. Since his birthday was actually a few days earlier, he figured the casserole that Casey had made for him on that day was his present.

When he and Lisa had pulled up in front of the house, he wondered why there were so many cars on the street, but he didn't think much of it, as his house looked pretty dark, except for the light on upstairs in Casey's room. He was tired, a little sunburned, and wanted nothing more than to get something to eat and relax a bit before turning in. Now that he was here and the party was happening, he was enjoying himself immensely, mingling with the guests and dancing.

Casey stood off to the side, watching the festivities and feeling pretty pleased with everything. It all went off without a hitch, which was pretty rare in their household. George came and stood next to her. "Well, I think it's a success, Case. Thank you for putting it all together to make Edwin's birthday special." He said, looking at her gratefully.

She smiled. "George, I didn't just do it for him, I did it for all of us." She said, her eyes conveying more than her lips would ever say. George nodded silently and took a sip of his beer.

It was nearly midnight, and the party was dwindling down, with Abby leaving to stay with a friend and Dennis going to the hotel he had booked for the night. Lizzie stayed behind, wanting to sleep in her old bed and catch up with everyone. The only people still left were George, Casey, Derek, Edwin, Marti, Lizzie, Sam and Ralph. Ralph was pretty toasted and kept wanting everyone to sing karaoke with him. They all politely refused and turned back to their conversations.

Sam and Derek were in a deep discussion, the two friends not seeing each other as much, with Derek in Toronto and Sam in Calgary. They were laughing at something, probably a raunchy story from Derek.

Marti and Lizzie were catching up, talking more as friends instead of sisters. The dynamics of everyone's relationships were changing: the kids were growing up and the parent was the one who needed looking after.

Casey sat in Derek's old chair, sipping a beer. She had a nice buzz going and was half-listening to everyone around her. "So, she says to me, 'Fine! If you don't want to get married, then I'm leaving!'" Sam was telling Derek, who was shaking his head in disgust.

She moved her eyes to Edwin, who was talking with George. They both looked happy – happier than she had seen them in a very long time, and that made Casey feel content, which was a feeling she hadn't experienced in a long while. She heard the phone ring and got up to get it. "Hello?" She said, looking at the clock.

"Case, it's Max. How are you?"

"I'm fine, Max. What's up?" She asked.

"Well, I was just sitting here thinking about you, and was wondering if I could see you tonight." Max said tentatively.

Casey rolled her eyes. He was making a booty call! Not that it offended her – she knew what it was, and in different circumstances, she might have accepted – but not tonight. Not with her whole family together for the first time in what felt like forever. "I'm sorry, Max, but I can't. I have the whole family here celebrating Edwin's birthday."

"Oh. Well, that's cool, then. Another time, maybe, yeah?" He asked hopefully.

"Sure. I'll talk to you later, OK?" Casey said before hanging up. She didn't consider that rude, she just didn't have the energy to think about someone else's feelings right now.

She turned and went into the kitchen, grabbing her cigarettes and quietly slipping outside. Casey sat in the dark, savoring the fresh air and quiet night while taking a drag. She heard the door open and saw Lizzie there, looking at her uncertainly.

"Liz. Come sit down." Casey motioned with her hand to the chair next to her.

Lizzie said nothing, but did as Casey said, taking the seat next to her and watching her smoke for awhile. Finally she spoke. "I had hoped you would have quit by now."

Casey exhaled smoke before replying. "Yeah, me too." They sat in silence for a bit. "How's living with Dad going?" she asked.

Lizzie shifted in her chair before answering. "Well, I hated it at first, but now I actually like it. New York City is so different from here. There's no shortage of things to do, and I'm finally starting to make friends."

Casey nodded. "Are you going back to school to get your diploma?" She asked Lizzie, who looked down at her shoes. When Lizzie had gone to live with their father, she didn't bother to enroll in a school there, figuring that she would eventually go back sometime. Given the circumstances, Dennis didn't want to push her, lest she act out even more than she already was.

"Yeah, eventually. I don't know when." Liz answered.

"Are you working or anything?" Casey hoped that Lizzie had something constructive to occupy her time. '_Idle hands'_ . . . she thought wistfully.

"No, but Dad is sort of pushing me to get a job."

"Well, don't you think that would be a good idea?" Casey said, trying not to sound like she was nagging.

Lizzie sighed. "I suppose so. I just can't seem to get myself motivated . . ." she trailed off, looking up at the sky.

"Well, kiddo, I'm sure something will come along." Casey said lamely, knowing that was a lie. Something would only come along if Lizzie made it happen. She decided to change the subject. "So . . . do you have a boyfriend?" she asked playfully nudging Lizzie with her foot.

Liz smiled. "Well, there _is_ this one guy . . ." And the sisters spent the next hour catching up and laughing, something that they both needed desperately.

When Liz decided that she couldn't stay up anymore, she sleepily headed up to her room, which Casey had freshened up by putting new sheets on the bed, dusting the furniture and vacuuming. Casey roamed through the quiet house, assuming everyone had gone to bed. She idly picked up cups and plates, putting them in the garbage bag she carried. She packed two big bags full and took them out to the garbage bin outside. She returned to find George in the kitchen, clearing away the food and putting it in the refrigerator. Casey grabbed a rag from the sink and started wiping down the counters. "Well, I'm glad that's over." George said with a smile.

Casey agreed. While it was fun planning everything and seeing the expression on Ed's face as he walked through the door, Casey was glad that it was over. She was exhausted – physically and mentally. Keeping a secret was hard work! "Yeah, me too. But did you see Ed's face? That was priceless." She said, scrubbing at a particularly hard bit of food on the counter.

"Oh yeah, it was great." George agreed. "I actually forgot to thank Lisa for helping us." He said somewhat regretfully.

"Don't worry. I thanked her for the both of us." She said, looking at George with a smile.

They said nothing, working in silence until the kitchen was clean. Afterward, they went into the living room and sat together on the couch, putting their feet up on the coffee table. George had gotten them fresh beers and they were sipping at them, just enjoying each other's company.

"Casey, I just want to thank you again for everything you do around here . . ." George started, but Casey put up her hand, signaling for him to stop.

"George. Enough. Although I appreciate your gratitude, I do it because we're family, and family sticks together." She said, glancing at him for a reaction.

He nodded solemnly. "Yeah, you're right, as always."

She smiled and looked ahead. They sat in silence until she felt George's hand on her leg, gently rubbing patterns on her thigh. Startled, she turned her head to look at his face. He was staring at her intently, with a look she had seen only once before, the thought of which made Casey's stomach flip. "George . . ." she said warningly.

He answered. "I know, I know. But I just can't get it out of my head. And the way you looked tonight – the way you _look_," he said, his eyes caressing her, "I'm finding it hard to stay away." He said softly.

Casey said nothing, but looked around. "We can't do this. We have a whole house full of people."

"I know," was all he said, his hand continuing to move on her.

She did nothing, instead letting him continue to caress her skin with his hand, which he soon moved under her dress and up toward her panties. Casey breathed deeply, looking at him intently. He had his eyes on her lips, and she gasped when she felt his hand on her crotch, lightly rubbing her over the fabric there. She panted slightly, savoring the feel of his finger running along the top of her panties before he slipped his hand underneath and moved down to her center. Casey moaned and slid down a bit, opening her legs for better access. "We should stop . . ." she said faintly, but let him have his way with her.

George put a finger into her and she nearly choked on air. He started pumping it slowly, while he leaned over and put his mouth next to her ear. "Casey, can I have one more night with you? That's all I need, just one more night." He said before moving back and waiting for her answer.

She looked at him before silently nodding her head. He smiled and removed his finger from her, bringing it to his lips and licking it clean. Casey growled and grabbed his hand, practically dragging him down the stairs into his room. After shutting and locking the door, they quickly undressed each other before he lay her down on the bed and entered her swiftly. Together, they moved quickly and quietly toward completion, coming at the same time.

During the night, they would reach for each other often, making the most of the time they had together.

**Review please!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

**Chapter Four**

The morning was bright and the day promised to be hot. In the kitchen of the McDonald/Venturi house there was the sound of clanking dishes as Marti was making French toast. Derek, Edwin and Lizzie sat watching her. "That was some party last night. Did you have any inkling at all about it?" Lizzie asked Edwin.

"Nope. I'm surprised anyone in this family was able to keep a secret that long." He said jokingly before taking a drink of his orange juice.

Lizzie laughed. "I hear that."

"Well, these are about done, would someone like to go wake up Casey and Dad?" Marti said, flipping a slice of bread in the pan.

"Nah, let them sleep. They spent a lot of time and energy planning the party." Edwin said.

"Plus that means more food for us." Derek added with a smile.

Everyone laughed and agreed not to wake them.

A few hours later, Casey came padding down the stairs. Rubbing her eyes, she blinked twice and focused on the scene in the living room. Derek, Edwin, Lizzie and Marti were all sitting there watching TV together. Casey's heart dropped and she had a flashback of the way life was before her mother died. She half expected to enter the kitchen and find Nora there reading the paper, George next to her . . .

George. Casey thought back to the previous night – this morning, actually, when she finally got dressed and snuck back up to her room at around five a.m. She certainly had never meant for it to happen again, but she didn't feel particularly sorry about it. Casey just didn't want anyone else in the family to know, for obvious reasons. She continued down the stairs. "Hey." She said, coming up behind the couch.

"Hey sleepyhead." Lizzie said with a smile. "I thought we would have to come up there and jump on your bed to wake you up."

Casey smiled and ran a hand through her hair. It was tangled with knots. "Yeah, well, I guess I was tired."

Marti turned to look at her. "You missed my famous French toast, Casey. I tried to save some for you but Derek and Edwin hogged it all." She said, shooting a glare at them.

Derek shrugged. "Come on, Smarti, how can you possibly expect two growing boys to have homemade food put in front of them and not eat it! Do you know how rare it is that I get a homemade meal? Well, I'll tell you . . ."

Marti put up her hand. "Zip it, Derek."

Derek's eyes widened, but he said nothing. Casey stood there with her mouth open. 'Wow, times really _have_ changed. It used to be that Marti would never talk to Derek that way.'

"I get no respect." Derek muttered to himself. Edwin laughed, and eventually a smile appeared on Derek's face. Soon, they were all laughing together, and it felt really good.

Lizzie turned to Casey. "Case, I hope you don't have to work today, because Dad wants to spend some time with you before we go back." She said, looking bummed about leaving. Casey knew Lizzie probably didn't want to go right away.

"I am actually off today, so that would be great." Casey replied, smiling gently at Liz, who nodded.

"Well, this certainly brings back memories." George said from behind them, making Casey jump.

Everyone turned to look at him. He was freshly showered and shaved and had on a sport shirt with khaki pants. He looked like he was heading out to golf, though they knew that wasn't true because George didn't golf. No one said anything, instead thinking about George's words, each mired in their own memories. George stood there awkwardly, not knowing what to say. He certainly didn't mean to bring everyone down. "So, it smells like someone made French toast and didn't save me any." He said, his eyes on Marti.

Marti smiled and rose from the couch. "Yeah, but I can make you more if Derek and Edwin go to the store and get more bread." She said, directing her comment to them.

Edwin sighed and got up. "I'll go. It's the least I can do for the dad who threw me the best birthday party ever."

George laughed. "Finally, I'm getting the appreciation I deserve! But don't forget – I didn't do this alone – Casey helped me." George said, his eyes flicking to hers.

Casey flushed and looked down, unable to hold the contact with George lest everyone look at her and see what she knew – that last night, she had let herself be thoroughly loved by him – and she gladly reciprocated. "It was nothing, really." Casey said softly.

Edwin grabbed his keys and approached Casey, snagging her around the waist and bringing her to him. "I didn't get a chance to say this last night, but thank you." He said, looking at her intently. "It was a great party, and I appreciate all the work you and Dad did to make it happen." He hugged her tightly and she responded, hugging him back. She glanced at George over Edwin's shoulder and smiled slightly. He nodded imperceptibly and communicated with his eyes. _'This is what we wanted, to make him happy.'_

Casey flinched when she heard gagging coming from Derek's direction. He was sitting in his chair, sticking his finger down his throat. "Ach, all these expressions of love are making me want to puke. Can we move on please?"

Everyone laughed and Edwin and Casey moved apart. "OK, I'm off to the store to get bread. Does anyone want anything else?" He asked, looking around.

Derek jumped up. "Well, if you're paying for it, I would like some chips and salsa and some of the beer I like . . ." Edwin rolled his eyes and headed for the kitchen, Derek following close behind. "We'll be back later!" Edwin called before he and Derek left.

"Well don't take too long, I'm starving here!" George called to them.

Casey stood there for a moment before looking down at herself. "Well, I'm gonna go grab a shower. I'll be back down in a bit." Marti and Lizzie nodded, but didn't say anything.

As she went up the stairs she felt eyes on her. She turned her head and noticed George following her with his eyes. Casey smiled and continued, disappearing in her room. George shook himself out his thoughts and turned to go get some coffee.

Later that day, Casey and Lizzie headed to an early dinner with their father. "Casey, when are you planning on coming back and finishing your schooling?" Dennis asked, picking at his salad.

Casey refrained from rolling her eyes. She knew this question was coming and tried not to lose control of her temper. Her father was only concerned about her, nothing more. "I don't know, Dad. George and Edwin still need me around."

Dennis looked skeptical. "Well, they seemed like they are handling things OK now."

"Well, yeah, but that was because there was a house full of friends and family there. It's the hardest on everyone when we're alone." She said, trying to make her father understand that she just wasn't ready to resume her life yet. She felt closer to her mother being in that house, not hundreds of miles away at college.

"Casey, I can't begin to understand what you're feeling, but I'm just wondering if you're not making things worse by dragging your feet on this. Not getting your degree isn't going to bring your mother back, and you know what she would want you to do . . . she would want you to finish and get your degree." He said before taking a drink of his wine.

Casey took a deep breath. She could feel her blood pressure rising with every word he spoke. "Dad, let's not do this now, OK? All I wanted was to spend a little time with my family before you went back. Can you just lay off?" she said, her voice rising slightly.

Lizzie shifted in her chair, saying nothing. This whole conversation was making her feel sick to her stomach. It seemed like nowadays all her father and Casey did when they were together was fight. She hated it. Liz glanced at her sister, who was in the process of tearing her napkin into little pieces. She could see the strain on Casey's face and felt bad for her. "Dad, please." Liz said quietly, her eyes pleading with Dennis's.

He pursed his lips and said nothing. He wasn't about to let the issue go for good, but he too wanted a nice visit. Dennis smiled at his daughters. "Girls, I'm sorry. You can't fault a father for wanting the best for his girls, can you?"

Casey and Lizzie looked at each other. He was doing it again – using his charming smile on the females, hoping it would get him out of trouble. It had worked on their mother until she couldn't take his prolonged absences anymore.

Casey sighed. "Dad, I appreciate your concern, really, but I'm an adult now and I make my own decisions. All I can say is that I _do_ plan on going back to school at some point, really. I just don't know when. Can you accept that?" She asked looking at her dad.

"Yes, honey, I can. Now, let's talk about something else, shall we?" He said brightly, moving on to other topics – his work, the weather, the news – all surface topics that Casey felt safe, but empty, talking about with her dad. The rest of the time they spent together was uneventful, and Lizzie and Dennis dropped Casey off before they had to catch a plane back to New York. Casey and Dennis said their goodbyes and he was waiting in the rental car for Lizzie.

"I don't know why you can't stay longer." Casey said to Lizzie, as they were standing on the front porch together.

Lizzie shrugged. "You know Dad. He can't stay away from work for too long, and how else am I supposed to get back? It's not like any of you can afford to buy me a plane ticket right now."

Casey nodded. "Yeah, I know. I miss you so much, Liz. When will you come back? I know it would make George and Ed happy to have you in the house again."

Lizzie looked at the house before returning her eyes to Casey. "I know. I'm just not ready yet, Case. It's the same thing with you and school. You're not ready to go back there, I'm not ready to come back here." She shrugged. "Life sucks, and then you die."

Casey grasped her sister's shoulders. "I don't want to hear you talk like that, hear me? Mom would never want to hear you talk like that." Casey said, peering deep into her sister's eyes.

"But Mom's not here, is she Case? She's not here." Lizzie ended in a whisper.

Casey pulled her sister into her arms. "Liz, she may not be here physically, but I believe she's somewhere watching over us, I do. And she would want you to move on and live your life." _'Nice words coming from someone who's drowning their sorrows in her stepfather – her late mother's husband,'_ said a voice in Casey's head. Casey shook it off.

Lizzie hugged Casey tightly and buried her face in her neck, sniffling. "It's just not fair. It's not fair that all of my friends still have their mothers to do things with, talk about boys with, and I have nothing."

Casey closed her eyes and fought back tears. "Liz, you have something. You have a father who loves you, two sisters who love you, two brothers who love you, a stepfather that loves you like his own, lots of friends . . . you're not alone, Liz."

Lizzie nodded and moved back, wiping her eyes with her fingers. "Yeah, I guess." She glanced at Dennis who was looking a bit antsy, probably worried about missing their flight. "Well, I should go before Dad gets all uptight." Liz said with a grin.

Casey hugged her again and pulled back. "Liz, if you ever need someone to talk to, you know I'm always here for you, right? You can call me any time – day or night. I love you, kiddo."

Lizzie nodded and smiled. "I know, and I really appreciate it, Case. I love you too. Take care of yourself and quit smoking, OK?"

Casey smiled. "I'll try, just for you."

"That's all I ask, sis." Lizzie said before turning and walking to the car. She got in and Casey waved as Dennis pulled away from the curb, waving back. Casey stood there watching the car disappear into the night before she turned and went into the house.

A few days later, the house was quiet, with Derek and Marti returning to Toronto with their mother. Casey and Edwin were cleaning the house (well, Casey was – Edwin was watching) and talking. "How are things going with you and Lisa?" Casey asked dusting the bookshelf. She picked up a picture of George and Nora and looked at it briefly before wiping it clean and replacing it.

"As of now, we are back on, although the day isn't over." Edwin quipped, not moving his eyes from the TV, which was currently showing _The Terminator._

"Well, it was nice of her to help George and I out in getting you out of the house for the party." Casey said, trying to find something nice to say about Lisa.

Edwin snorted. "Come on, Case, I know you don't like her."

"What? Why would you say that?" Casey said surprised.

"I just know, is all." He said.

Casey put down her duster and sat next to him. "Ed, I just think you could do better, OK?" She said, looking at him.

Edwin tore his attention away from the TV and glanced at Casey. "Yeah, well, I appreciate your concern, Case, but she's not bad once you get to know her." He stopped and thought about how that sounded. He realized he didn't sound all that enthused about his own girlfriend. Maybe it was time to hit the party circuit again . . .

"Edwin!" Casey's voice yelled in his ear.

He jumped and turned. "What? Geez . . ."

"I was talking to you, you nimrod." Casey said smiling.

"Really? Cuz all I was hearing was blah, blah, blah . . ." Edwin shot back.

"You're sounding more like Derek everyday. How can that be when he's not even here?" She said exasperated.

"Must be in the genes." Ed shrugged.

"Yeah, must be." Casey said before getting up to resume her work.

It was Friday night, and the pub was packed. Casey was juggling a ton of tables, most filled with raucous crowds who should have stopped drinking long ago. "Order up!" Jake's voice sounded. Casey headed toward the kitchen and grabbed her order of hot wings, taking them to a table.

"Hey sweetheart, we need another round here." The guy said drunkenly.

Casey stopped and looked at him. "Sir, I don't think that's a good idea." She said as nicely as she could.

The guy looked at her confused. "What? What do you mean? _I'm_ the customer, _you're_ the waitress. Which means _I_ tell _you_ what I want and you get it." He said slowly, speaking to her like she was an idiot.

Casey closed her eyes a moment, reigning in her temper. "Sir, you've reached your limit. You've ordered five pitchers already . . ."

The guy stood up and got in her face. "Look bitch, I want to talk to your manager. Now be a good little girl and go get him for me."

Casey decided it wasn't worth arguing with him and went to get Jake, who came out with her moments later. "What seems to be the problem here?"

"This . . . _waitress_ . . . is not doing her job, that's the problem." He said drunkenly weaving on his feet. Casey eyed the other people that were dining with him. They said nothing, but looked extremely uncomfortable. They wouldn't meet her eyes and sat silently, sipping their beers.

"Sir, Casey is one of our best employees, and I trust her judgment. If she thinks you've had enough, then you've had enough." Jake said crossing his arms.

The guy snorted. "Well, I should have known you would side with her. You're probably slipping her the meat."

Casey's face turned red and she clenched her fists. 'Calm down, calm down,' she said to herself. Jake, however, wasn't keeping his cool. "Alright, that's it. I'm going to have to ask you and your party to leave my establishment."

The guy looked surprised. "Are you fucking kidding me?" He asked, getting into Jake's face now.

"I don't kid." Jake said in a deadly voice, leaning into the guy's space. Jake was using his size – which was 6-foot-three, and considerable weight – which Casey guessed was around 230 – to intimidate the customer, and it seemed to be working.

"Whatever. Come on, let's get out of this hellhole." He said to his friends, who hastily stood up and gathered their things. "You can bet that I'm never coming back here . . ." He was saying as they settled their bill with the cashier and left.

Jake blew out his breath and looked around, effectively letting everyone in the room know to go about their business and continue dining. "Are you OK?" He asked Casey softly, his hand on her arm.

"Yeah, I'm fine. It happens sometimes." She said, gathering the dirty dishes off the table.

"Well, there's no accounting for stupidity." Jake said smiling before heading back into the kitchen.

'You got that right,' Casey thought while wiping the table down.

* * *

"It's funny how this keeps happening." George said as they were lying in his bed together later that night.

_He was waiting up for her when she returned home at 2:15 a.m. Edwin was already in bed and Casey sat down next to him in the kitchen. George could tell she was stressed. "Bad night?" he asked, passing her a cookie, which she took and ate. _

_Casey chewed and swallowed. "Yeah, I had this guy who got in my face when I cut him and his party off. Then he had the audacity to accuse me of sleeping with the owner in front of everyone! What a dickhead." She said angrily._

_George looked at her. "You need to relax. How about a massage?" he said wiggling his fingers enticingly._

_Casey moaned. "Oh, that sounds great." _

"_How about we go into the living room and you can lie down. I can give you the 'George' treatment." He said goofily, making Casey smile._

_She agreed and went into the other room, Casey taking off her shoes and lying on her stomach on the floor. George straddled her and started in on the muscles of her shoulders, kneading away the stress. "Oh god, that feels good." Casey mumbled into her arms, which were cradling her head._

"_I'm known for my magic fingers. Your mother . . ." George trailed off. "Well, she used to love my massages." He ended quietly._

_Casey said nothing. She didn't know what to say. "Oh, right there." She said when his fingers hit a particularly hard knot. George worked hard to help her relax, massaging her until she was almost asleep, when she felt him lean over and nuzzle the back of her neck, gently moving her hair out of the way and touching his lips to the skin there. Casey felt a jolt go through her body – that had always been a highly sexual spot for her – and lifted her head, turning to look at him speculatively. She wiggled a bit and George got the hint, moving himself up so she could turn over on her back. Once there, she reached up and pulled him to her, kissing him ardently. _

_Before she knew it, they were fucking on the floor and Casey could feel rug burn developing on her back. She had to muffle her moans with her hand as he moved inside her. Afterward, they dressed quickly and when Casey mentioned she was hungry, George made her a sandwich. They talked awhile before Casey excused herself to go to bed. "Goodnight George," Casey said, moving forward to give him a hug. George hugged her, but when she went to move away, he didn't let go. _

"_George . . .?" Casey said questioningly._

_He said nothing, instead taking her hand and leading her down the stairs. She followed mutely, letting him take her. And take her he did – on the bed, against the wall and in the shower, where he turned her around and had her face the wall while he fucked her from behind. _

Now, they were lying in his bed – wrapped around each other, naked and sweaty. "Yeah, funny." She said, responding to his statement. She turned in his arms and examined his face. "George, what are we doing?"

He stared into her eyes. "I don't know, Case. I guess it's gotten a little out of control." He said, his hand caressing the skin of her shoulder.

"You could say that." Casey said. "We're walking a fine line here. What if Edwin finds out? What then?"

George shook his head. "All good questions, Case. And I agree, we're taking a risk. But I just can't help myself around you." He leaned forward and kissed her softly before drawing back again. "I could be having the shittiest day in the world, but when I'm with you, it all goes away. Case, you've turned my life around, and I'm not ready to let that go yet."

Casey was touched. "You've changed my life too, George. I don't think I could have gotten through these last few months without you."

George smiled. "Case, I know this shouldn't be happening, and I think about it all the time – what people would think if they found out – but it's all outweighed by the way you make me feel." At her expression, he quickly added. "I don't want to scare you, I know you're a young woman and deserve to be with someone your own age. I get that. In fact, I want you to go out and find someone who will treat you with the love and respect you deserve. It's just that . . ."

Casey covered his mouth with her hand. "I know, George, I know, and I appreciate you saying that, but I'm not ready to go out and find a nice guy to settle down with just yet. I'm just concerned about where this," she said, waving her hand between the two of them, "could possibly be going." She paused, hoping to get the message to him with her eyes. "You know, more emotional attachment than there already is." She finished gently. She had no idea how deep George's feelings for her went, or if he even had romantic feelings for her. She knew how she felt about him – she loved him – she just wasn't _in love_ with him.

He nodded solemnly. "Casey, I've never been the jealous type. I know what this is, but I appreciate your honesty. And I thank you for being there for me. You've made me want to live again."

She smiled and kissed his mouth before drawing back. "Will you stop thanking me? You make it sound like I did you a favor by sleeping with you! I wanted it just as bad as you did!" She said, laughing.

George gazed at her with a surprised look on his face. "Really?"

"Well, yeah. You couldn't tell all these many times we've been together?" Casey asked, rubbing his arm.

He looked down, his face flushed. "Well, when you put it that way . . ." He said before leaning forward and kissing her again.

_Two months later:_

Although George and Casey agreed to try and stay away from each other, all that had to happen for them to fall into bed was to share a look.

Casey went out on dates, but refrained from sleeping with them, realizing that having sex with random guys wasn't going to bring her mother back. She couldn't quite let go of George yet, however. He felt the same way about her, confiding in her about a woman at work who had been pursuing him. "She's a perfectly nice woman, I'm just not interested." He had said over drinks one night.

Casey nodded, relieved. She wasn't ready to see George with another woman besides her mother (and herself, of course).

Tonight, they were watching a movie that Edwin had picked. It was pretty bad. "Edwin." Lisa's sharp voice grated on Casey's nerves. "This movie sucks. I told you not to get this one."

Edwin rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well I wasn't about to watch Legally Blonde – _again_." He said.

"Well, we could have watched something else. I bet no one else likes this movie either, they're just too nice to say anything." Lisa said, crossing her arms.

Casey and George looked at each other. They agreed with Lisa – the movie _did_ suck – but they weren't about to say that. "Actually, it's not that bad." George said.

"I agree." Casey said, looking at Lisa pointedly.

Lisa huffed, but didn't say anything. They watched the rest of the movie in silence until it was time for Edwin to take Lisa home. After they left, George and Casey were cleaning up. "Lisa is something else, isn't she?" George said.

Casey looked at him. "Stop being nice, George. She's a bitch."

George laughed. "Well, you said it, not me." They laughed and continued cleaning.

**Review please!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

**Chapter Five**

_Two weeks later:_ Today was a bad day for Casey. It was a bad day for everyone in the McDonald/Venturi family. Today was Nora's birthday – the first since she had passed almost 10 months ago.

Casey didn't want to get out of bed. Her alarm had gone off hours ago, but she said "fuck it" and turned it off. She jumped when a knock sounded on her door. "Go away!" She yelled, pulling the covers over her head. The knock came again.

Growling, she got out of bed and stomped to the door, whipping it open. "What?" She said annoyed. Derek stood there looking at her.

"Hey Case. I know you need your beauty sleep, but this is getting ridiculous." He said, smirking.

"Derek!" She cried, launching into his arms. "What are you doing here?" She asked, drawing back.

He smiled slightly. "Well, I was just in the neighborhood, and decided to come see my least-favorite stepsister."

Casey smiled and grabbed his arm. "Come in, come in." She said, shutting the door behind her. She led him to her bed and they both sat down. "Why are you really here, Derek? It's not even the weekend. How did you get off work?" She asked, peering intently at him.

Derek looked away quickly. "Yeah, about that. I sort of got fired." He said, glancing at her then away again.

"Are you kidding me? What happened?" Casey said incredulously.

Derek sighed and rubbed his hand on his leg. "My boss was an asshole. Besides, it was conflicting with my school schedule. I'm graduating in May, you know." Derek was getting a degree in business, and Casey was very proud of him for sticking with it.

Casey took his hand. "I know, and I'm very proud of you."

Derek smiled. "Thanks Case." He paused. "You know, you could be graduating with me . . ."

Casey put up her hand to wave him off. "Derek, don't you start. I hear enough of that from my Dad."

He closed his mouth and nodded. "Well, you can't blame me for tryin'."

She smiled at him and they looked at each other for a minute until Casey broke the silence. "Well, I should get dressed and then we can catch up some more, OK?"

Derek got up. "Sure. I'm gonna go bug Edwin – see what he's up to."

Casey smiled. "OK." She watched him leave her room and headed for her dresser, gathering up the clothes that she would wear for the day. She was bummed about Derek losing his job, but she knew the real reason he was here, which had nothing to do with that. He had remembered it was Nora's birthday – which, in and of itself surprised Casey. She shook her head and grinned. He was worried about them and wanted to see how they were dealing with things. Derek had really changed into a caring guy. Casey felt blessed to have someone like him as her stepbrother.

A half hour later, she bounded down the steps to find the Venturi men at the dinner table, laughing. They quieted when they saw Casey approach. 'Derek was probably telling some sex joke or something,' she thought, eyeing them.

"Hey Case," Edwin said. "Are you hungry? We were thinking of going someplace for lunch."

Casey looked confused. "What about breakfast?"

George smiled. "It's nearly noon, Case."

She blushed. "Oh, I guess I'm not used to sleeping in this late."

He looked at her understandingly. He knew what she was feeling because he was feeling the same thing.

"So how about it?" Derek asked. "I'm starving."

Casey smiled. "Sure, that sounds great." Shortly after, they left and had a nice afternoon together.

When they got home, Casey called Lizzie. "Hey Liz," Casey said when Liz got on the phone. "How are you?"

"I'm OK. How are you?" Lizzie said in a subdued voice.

"I'm fine. Derek's here. He came to check up on us." Casey said with a slight smile.

"Wow. That was nice of him." Liz said quietly. Casey couldn't help but feel that she was holding something back.

"So, how's life? What have you been up to?" she asked Lizzie, hoping she would open up.

"Not much. Still not working or going to school if that's what you were getting at." Lizzie said flatly.

"I wasn't." Casey said a bit defensively. She paused, then tried again. "How about on the guy front? Do you have a boyfriend?"

At this, Lizzie got more animated. "Yeah, I do, actually. It's the boy I told you about. His name is Glen and he's a really great guy. Dad even likes him."

Casey was glad to hear this. "Really? Wow, that's a big deal. How old is he?"

"He's a little older – 20 – and he works full-time and goes to college part-time. He wants to be a veterinarian." Lizzie said with pride in her voice.

This made Casey even more glad because she know how much of an animal lover Liz was. It sounded like these two were made for each other. "How's Dad doing?" Casey asked.

"Oh, he's fine. Working all the time, as usual. He's got this new girlfriend . . . she's a total bitch. I'm convinced she's only with him for his money." Lizzie said with disgust.

"Really . . . well that's not good to hear." Casey always worried about her father, who seemed to have a different woman in his life every few months. "Well, hopefully it won't last long and she'll be out of the picture."

"We can only hope." Lizzie said.

They continued to chat for a little while, then Casey handed the phone over to George, who spoke with her before passing it on to Edwin, and finally Derek. He chatted with her for a bit then hung up, a smile on his face. "Don't tell her I said this, but I really miss that girl." He said, looking at Casey.

She smiled. "Don't worry, your secret's safe with us. Right guys?" Casey said, looking at George and Edwin.

"Right." They said simultaneously, making her laugh.

Later that night, Casey was in the living room, drinking rum straight from the bottle. Today was her mother's birthday – she would have been 45. She brought the bottle to her lips and took a big gulp, the alcohol burning her throat as it went down. The day went pretty well, but as night came, and everyone else turned in, Casey got lost in memories of her mother – her smile, the way she looked when she would scold George or Derek, her chaotic way of doing things . . .

Casey got up and went to the wall of pictures. She stood there for a while, examining them and reliving each memory: George and Nora's wedding day, their first family vacation, Casey and Derek's high school graduation, various birthdays and family outings. All of them passed through her mind and brought a smile to her face. Casey felt the tears coming before she could stop them. She turned away from the pictures and headed into the kitchen, still holding the bottle. She set it down and found herself heading for the door to the basement. Before she knew it, she was opening George's door and shutting it quietly behind her. She stood there, leaning against it for awhile, listening to his deep breathing while he slept. She pushed herself off the wall and headed toward the bed, undressing down to her underwear before slipping underneath the covers and cuddling up to him. She hugged him tightly and kissed his collarbone, causing him to wake. "Case?" He said sleepily. "What is it? Are you OK?" He asked turning to face her.

Casey said nothing, instead losing it and starting to sob. "Oh Casey," George said sympathetically, wrapping his arms around her and smoothing her hair with his hand. "Shhhh, it's OK, baby. I'm here, I'm here." He knew it would be a hard day – was surprised that it wasn't worse, actually. Having Derek back made things better.

George held Casey for a long time, letting her get out feelings that he was sure she had been bottling up for his sake. He knew that he was relying too much on her for his own sanity. It wasn't right. He vowed to not do that anymore, to let her move on with her own life and try to see her as she should be to him – his stepdaughter, nothing more.

When she calmed down, George drew back slightly. "Feeling better?" He asked.

Casey hiccupped. "Yes, thank you."

George could smell the liquor on her breath. The alcohol wouldn't help her deal with things, he knew, but he didn't say anything. She was, after all, an adult. He knew that better than anyone. It was then that he noticed her state of undress. He could feel her breasts against his chest and his cock twitched in anticipation. George took a deep breath and moved back further. "You should get to sleep. Everything will look better in the morning." He said, half hoping she would try to argue him out of it.

"I will, but can I stay for a little longer? I'm not ready to be alone." She said, a pleading note to her voice.

He couldn't say no to her. "Of course, Case. Whatever you want."

She snuggled into him and sighed. "Thank you."

George said nothing, instead taking pleasure in the feeling of her in his arms. He could feel himself getting hard. It was difficult not to with her soft, pliant body against his. The fact that he knew what she felt like wrapped around him didn't help either. Or how he knew what she looked like when she came – flushed, eyes bright, skin glistening. He groaned involuntarily. He was quickly losing his self-control and did not want to take advantage of her in the state she was in. "Casey, I think it's best if you leave and go to your own room." He said gently.

"Why?" She asked in a small voice.

"I just . . ." He paused, searching his mind for what he wanted to say. "I don't know if I can keep control of myself with you here, and you don't deserve someone making moves on you when you're like this."

Casey said nothing for a moment, then, "What if I don't mind?"

George's pulse picked up. "Well, I would say that you're not thinking clearly." He said, valiantly trying to head her off at the pass.

She moved closer, running her hand down his back and gripping his ass. "What if the only thing that would make me feel better is to have your cock inside me?" she asked breathily.

'Oh god,' he thought, his dick at attention now. "Casey . . ." He didn't get to finish before she covered his mouth with hers, caressing his lips with her tongue. He groaned and clutched her to him, his hand reaching for her breast, squeezing it.

Casey brought her hands to the waistband of his boxers and pulled them down until he could kick them off the rest of the way. He then removed her panties and moved back up to kiss her softly. "You always feel so good against me." He murmured in her mouth, making her hug him tighter. He gently pushed her away from him. "Lay back, I want to make you feel good." He said before slowly moving down her body, his mouth making a path down her neck to her chest, his tongue making designs on her skin. She sighed and lay back, reveling in the feeling. He captured a nipple with his mouth and teased it until it stood at attention, while one hand moved down her body and caressed her wetness, making her moan and spread her legs wider. George put a finger into her and she jumped at the contact, bringing her hand up to cradle his head as he swirled his tongue around her nipple. He then continued his journey downward until his mouth was at her hip, where he playfully nipped at the skin, making Casey smile.

She held her breath and waited for him to move. He sucked and kissed at her skin until she could feel his breath against her center. She lay still, waiting to feel his mouth on her. She jumped slightly when she felt his tongue against her, gently licking at her slit, moving in and out slowly. "Oooohhhh . . ." she let out, clutching his shoulder with her hand.

With one hand caressing her breast, he worked his mouth on her, bringing her closer and closer to climax, eventually working up to her clit and sucking, which sent her into convulsions. "Yes!" she said loudly before getting control of herself. The last thing she needed was to wake Derek and Edwin.

George finished and moved up Casey's body, continuing to lay kisses on her skin until they were face to face, where she pulled him into a searing kiss, tasting herself on his lips. He moved her legs apart and grasped his length, thrusting into her, making her squeal with pleasure. "Yeah, give it to me." She said, clutching at his back. During their trysts, Casey had discovered that George loved it when she talked dirty to him while they were fucking. It drove him crazy, which in turn, drove her crazy.

His reaction to her words was to thrust harder into her, making her arch her back off the bed and dig her nails into his back. George was grunting with his efforts, and Casey could feel the sweat forming on his skin as he moved in and out of her. She widened her legs to take him in deeper. They kissed heatedly as their lower bodies slammed together, the sound of their skin smacking together loud in the room. The bed squeaked a bit and George shifted them, pulling out of Casey, which made her whimper in displeasure. He pulled her to the edge of the bed and stood, putting his hands under her thighs and pulling her legs wide before thrusting into her again. "Oh god, oh, oh, oh," Casey chanted, her skin tingling with her oncoming orgasm. She felt a drop of his sweat land on her skin and she thought she had never been more turned on in her life. She grabbed him and pulled him onto the bed. Flipping them over, she straddled him and lowered herself onto his cock, grabbing his shoulders as she moved. She leaned forward and kissed him, her tongue sensually licking his. "God, Case, you are so beautiful." George said between kisses.

Casey smiled and increased her speed on him, bucking wildly now. Their moans filled the room and the bed shook from their fucking. George knew he was close, so he put his thumb on Casey's clit and rubbed, making her moan loudly and start to convulse around him. The feeling of her pussy gripping his cock sent him over the edge and he shot into her, gasping at the feeling of letting go inside her.

They came down slowly, until Casey gently moved off him and settled next to him, breathing heavily. They were silent a moment before she spoke. "Wow." She said, turning her head to look at him.

He smiled in the near-darkness. "I know. That was . . . well, there are no words to describe how incredible that was."

Casey laughed softly. "I think you just did, George." She said before rolling over and clutching him.

They lay together like that for awhile until Casey decided that she should get upstairs lest Edwin or Derek notice that she wasn't in her room. She dressed slowly, with George lying on the bed watching her, having turned on the small lamp next to the bed. When she was finished, she went over to the side of the bed and leaned over, kissing him gently on the mouth. "Thank you." She said softly before straightening up.

George nodded but said nothing. He was still floating from the sexual high. She turned and left, quietly tiptoeing up the stairs. She entered the kitchen through the laundry room and headed for the refrigerator. After grabbing a water, she walked through the living room and was on the landing when she heard a voice. "Casey."

"Ah!" She said, startled. She turned and looked in the general direction of the voice. "Derek? You scared me! What are you still doing up?" She asked nervously.

He said nothing, so Casey felt her way along until she flipped on the lamp next to the couch. Her eyes adjusted to the light and she squinted at him. He was sitting on the couch with the bottle of liquor she was drinking out of earlier. It looked like he had pretty much finished it off. "Derek, what are you doing here drinking in the dark?"

"I couldn't sleep." was all he said. Casey went and sat down next to him.

"Derek, what's wrong?" She asked, placing her hand on his arm.

He said nothing, but turned to look at her, an expression on his face that she had never seen before. It was scaring her. Finally he spoke, "It's nothing, Case. Go to sleep."

She hesitated, but got up. "OK. But if you need to talk, you know where to find me."

He nodded, but said nothing. She was halfway up the stairs when she heard him. "Oh, and Case?" He asked.

She stopped. "Yes?"

"One more thing: How long have you been fucking my father?"

**Review please!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

**Chapter Six**

_**Previously:**__ "Casey."_

"_Aaah!" She squealed, startled. She turned and looked in the general direction of his voice. "Derek? You scared me! What are you still doing up?" She asked nervously._

_He said nothing, so Casey felt her way along until she switched on the lamp next to the couch. Her eyes adjusted to the light and she squinted at him. He was sitting on the couch with the bottle of liquor she had earlier. It looked like he had pretty much finished it off. "Derek, what are you doing here drinking in the dark?"_

"_I couldn't sleep." Was all he said. Casey went and sat down next to him. _

"_Derek, what's wrong?" She asked, placing her hand on his arm._

_He said nothing, but turned to look at her, an expression on his face that she had never seen before. It was scaring her. Finally he spoke, "It's nothing, Case. Go to sleep."_

_She hesitated, but got up. "OK. But if you need to talk, you know where to find me."_

_He nodded, but said nothing. She was halfway up the stairs when she heard him. "Oh, and Case?" He asked. _

_She stopped. "Yes?"_

"_One more thing: How long have you been fucking my father?"_

* * *

Casey's heart dropped and her mouth went dry. She felt herself start to tremble, but fought to keep her voice calm. "Excuse me?" she asked, looking at Derek.

He narrowed his eyes and rose from the couch. Approaching the landing, he said, "How long? A week? A month? Or was this going on when Nora was alive? And if it was, well, I guess her dying was very convenient for the both of you." He said coldly.

Casey felt like she was going to throw up. But more than that, she felt a fury the likes of which she had never felt before. Before Casey could stop herself, she was flying down the stairs and slapping Derek across the face_. "Don't you __ever__ say that again."_ She said in a deadly voice, her finger in his face. "Don't you ever . . ." She tried to catch her breath but couldn't. Casey thought she might be starting to hyperventilate. She bent over and put her hands on her knees, gasping.

She could see Derek standing there looking at her holding a hand to his face, which was wearing a disgusted expression. She stood up and faced him, hoping to talk her way out of this. "Derek, I don't know what the hell you are talking about. You're drunk." She said, motioning her head toward the liquor bottle on the coffee table.

Derek snorted. "I wish I was drunk. No, I'm painfully sober, Case." He started pacing around the room. "I just can't believe it. It's beyond comprehension to me . . ."

"Derek, you've got it all wrong . . ."

He whirled on her and stormed forward, grabbing her arms painfully. "Shut up, just shut up. Don't talk to me like I'm an idiot – I'm not. I know what I heard, Case, so stop trying to deny it."

Casey's eyes widened, but she tried to continue her charade. "And just what do you think you heard, Derek?"

He let go of her and faced away, speaking so softly she had to strain to hear him. "I heard you . . . with him . . . I heard the sounds . . ."

"You were eavesdropping on us?" Casey burst out before she could stop herself. 'Oh fuck,' she thought as Derek turned and faced her, a look of despair on his face.

In a small corner of his mind, he was hoping that he had it wrong, that he somehow was confused and didn't hear his father and Casey having sex. But looking at Casey, he knew that he _did_ hear it, and now, she had pretty much admitted it. He felt sick.

They stood there staring at each other, the tension in the room thick. Finally, he spoke. "I couldn't sleep. Then I started thinking about how we never got the chance to talk. So, I went to your room, but you weren't there," Derek said, his eyes unfocused as he remembered his earlier actions. "I came down the stairs and saw you heading into the kitchen, so I followed. But when I got there, you were gone. At first I thought you were outside smoking, but when I didn't see you, I came back in. That's when I noticed the door to the basement ajar. Something told me to check downstairs, so I went down to look for you." He took a deep breath and continued. "I heard voices and I couldn't help myself. I wanted to make sure everything was OK . . ." he trailed off, unable to continue.

Casey stood there silently, feeling her world crumble around her. Her worst fears had come true, and now she would have to deal with the repercussions of her actions.

"Derek," she said softly, "It's not what you think . . ."

"Oh, it's not?" he broke in angrily. "Then what the hell is it, huh? Cuz it seems to me that my stepsister is fucking my dad – _her_ stepfather! Is there something else to it?"

Casey took a deep breath. "Can you please keep your voice down? I don't want to wake Edwin . . ."

"So he doesn't know. Well, I guess that's a good thing – for you." Derek sneered.

Casey felt herself getting angry but knew she had no right to be. She had brought this on herself. "No, he doesn't know. You're the only one who knows, and I'd like to keep it that way." She said, her eyes pleading with him.

Derek whipped his head to face her. "Well, frankly, right now I don't give a flying fuck what you'd like."

"Derek, can we just sit down and talk rationally about this? Why don't we go outside? I'd like to tell you how this all came about . . ."

"Oh, I think I can pretty much figure that part out, Case." Derek said derisively. "By the way, you never did answer my question. How long?"

Casey sighed and sat down before her legs gave out. She leaned over and put her head in her hands. "A few months ago. It didn't happen until _after_ my mother was gone." She said, looking up at him pointedly. "I would never do that. You know me better than that, Derek."

He laughed scornfully. "I thought I _did_ know you, Case. But it's obvious I don't." He said, sitting down in his chair heavily.

She looked at him. "Derek, you _do_ know me. What happened between your dad and me . . . neither of us planned it. You weren't here, Derek. You didn't see how broken up your dad was. _I_ was the one who took care of him day after day, making sure he ate, making sure he didn't kill himself. Watching him break down and cry like a little baby . . . it was hell, Derek. And on top of that, I was trying to deal with my own grief, and well, one thing led to another . . ." her voice faded.

Derek scrubbed a hand over his face. "So, are you . . . together now or something?" He said, choking on the word "together".

Casey shook her head quickly. "No, we're not. We're basically using each other for comfort. And we know it's gotten out of control, we've tried to end it many times . . ."

"Yeah? And how's that workin' out for ya?" he asked sarcastically.

Casey snapped her head up and glared at him. "Derek, I know this is upsetting for you, but can you refrain from being such a dick? Why are you so upset about this anyway? I mean, your father's an adult, I'm an adult, we're not breaking any laws here."

"You can't understand why I'm upset? Well, I guess that's part of the problem, then, isn't it? My dad having sex with my sister – nope, there's no problem there!" He said, his eyes hard on hers.

Casey got up. "I can see that this conversation is going nowhere. I only ask one thing of you, Derek. Can you _please_ not tell anyone? And if you're hell-bent on letting everyone know, can you at least give me a chance to tell them myself first?"

Derek studied her before answering. "Marti doesn't need to know this. She doesn't deserve to be upset. As for the others . . . well, I'll let you deal with it. I just want to know one thing, Case. Is it over? For good? Because if it's not, then sooner or later, you're gonna have to come clean – with everybody."

Casey nodded. "I know. I think I can safely say that it's over. It's not worth tearing this family apart, especially after seeing how much it's upset you." She got up and moved toward him. "Derek, I am so sorry. I never wanted to hurt you or anyone else. It was obviously a bad decision to get involved with George . . . I just couldn't stop it."

Derek said nothing, just sat there staring at her. Suddenly, he got up and moved away. "I gotta go. I can't look at you right now." He turned to go up the stairs.

"Derek, wait!" Casey called as softly as she could. "I want to know that we're gonna be OK. Please!"

He stopped halfway up the stairs. "I can't say that, Case." With that, he continued up to his room and quietly shut the door behind him.

Casey gazed after him for awhile before collapsing on the couch, sobbing.

The next morning, Casey awoke in her room. She didn't remember going up there, but she must have. She got out of bed and looked at herself in the mirror. Life as she knew it was over. It was time to start dealing with things in a better way. She exited her room and headed to Derek's. She really wanted to clear things up with him and try to make him understand. She knew he was angry – she totally understood that – but she couldn't stand it when he was angry with _her_. She needed to make things right with him. The sooner, the better.

She knocked on his door and waited. A few minutes later she knocked again. No answer. She tried the knob and the door swung open. Casey was shocked. It looked like he had never slept in his bed last night. It was neatly made, with everything looking in place. She looked around, confused. She left his room and headed downstairs, where Edwin was eating a bowl of cereal. She stopped and looked at him, gauging his mood. She had no idea if Derek had talked to Edwin or not. Even though Derek told her he would let her handle things, she didn't know if he meant it. "Hey Ed." She said tentatively.

Edwin looked up from his bowl and smiled. "Good morning, Case. How are you this fine morning?"

Casey breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. Derek had kept his word – for now. "I'm fine, Ed. And yourself?"

"Just groovy, dear sister." Ed said jovially.

Casey smiled slightly. "Well you're in a great mood. Any reason why?" She was desperate for some good news.

Edwin swallowed and looked at her. "Well, I've decided to give Lisa the boot. I don't know why I didn't do that months ago, but now that it's decided, I feel like a prisoner who's just been granted parole!" he said, laughing.

Casey grinned as she headed to the refrigerator. "Well, Ed. I'm happy that you're happy. Are you cutting her loose today?"

"Yep. I'm meeting her for lunch. While she's probably thinking it will be another day of me kissing her ass, it's actually the day when I throw her out on _her_ ass." He said snickering.

Casey sat down next to him and bumped his shoulder with hers. "Now, let's work on the rules, shall we? You shall not go out with anyone before clearing it with me. See, that's what the problem was with Lisa. You pick her up at some party and 'bam!' she's your girlfriend. If I would have met her first, I would have told you to run in the other direction as quickly as you could." She said jokingly.

Edwin snorted. "Yeah, yeah. You're perfect, aren't you, Case?"

Casey's smile faded. "I'm not perfect Edwin, but I know one thing: I only want the best for you. And Lisa's not it."

Edwin looked at her with a slight smile on his face. "Thanks for your concern, Case. I appreciate you looking out for me."

She smiled back at him. "No problem. That's what family is for." She sat there debating whether or not to ask him about Derek. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore. "Hey Ed, have you seen Derek this morning?" Her stomach clenched, waiting for his answer.

"Nope. Haven't seen him _or_ dad yet this morning. Why do you ask?"

"No reason, just wondering." Casey was beginning to think that Derek was gone. As in gone back to Toronto. Could it be that he just up and left? She thought back to last night and relived his anger. Oh yes, it was very possible. _'I can't look at you right now.' _His voice sounded again in her head. She fought back tears and got up before she broke down in front of Edwin. "Ed, if you see your dad, tell him I need to talk to him, OK?" she asked, before heading up the stairs.

"Sure thing, Case." Edwin said.

"Thanks." She went into her room and shut the door.

* * *

"Fuck." George said his face pale. They were in her room. Casey had just finished filling him in on her confrontation with Derek the night before. Thankfully, Edwin had left to meet Lisa and they were alone in the house. George got up and paced around. "Jesus, Case. He was really upset, huh?"

Casey nodded. "Oh yes. Very. He said he heard us, George. That's gotta be upsetting to him, don't you think? He was definitely freaked for sure."

George sat down next to her again. "I have to talk to him." He said, looking at Casey seriously.

"Yeah, that's a good idea. But he's gone. I think he went back to Toronto – either last night or early this morning." She paused before continuing. "I think you should give him a few days before you try to contact him. Let him cool down a bit. Do you agree?"

George considered that for a moment. "I don't know, Case. Part of me thinks that's a good idea, but on the other hand, I don't want this to fester any more than it already has. I want him to know that I take this situation seriously and want to resolve it as quickly as possible."

"How do we resolve it though? I mean, we got caught. We can't help him resolve that any faster than he's willing to do himself. We can't force him to just get over it. He has to work through it and come to terms with it in his own way. Derek is stubborn and head-strong. You of all people know that. Give him a few days, George, OK?" she asked softly, putting a hand on his arm.

He looked deeply into her eyes and nodded. "OK. I'll do that. Hopefully this hasn't destroyed our relationship." George said, referring to him and Derek.

"I hope so too." They looked at each other before George rose. "Case, you know we have to end it. For good." He said gently.

Casey looked down at her feet. "I know. I just wish we would have ended it before anyone had to get hurt." Her heart hurt from all the trauma their actions had caused.

George reached out and grabbed Casey's hand, pulling her up and to him. "Case," he said, raising her chin with his finger, "Let's just call it what it is: a mistake that got out of control. We never meant to hurt anyone, that's just what ended up happening. Now we'll have to work on repairing our mistakes and move on." He stopped, putting his hand on her shoulder. "But I tell you this: I will never forget what happened, or regret it. I only regret that it upset Derek so much. Casey, you are a wonderful woman, and I feel honored to have been with you, if only for a short time." He said before leaning forward to kiss her lips gently. She accepted his kiss and moved into his arms, hugging him tightly.

"Me too, George. You are a special man who deserves to be happy, and I wish you all the best. And you can always come to me if you need anything." She said, smiling at him. They looked at each other and he laughed slightly. "Isn't that what got us into trouble in the first place?" George asked jauntily.

Casey snickered. "Yeah, I guess so. Well, you know what I meant . . ."

George nodded. "Yeah, I do." He stopped and caressed her face gently. "I love you Casey."

She blushed. "I love you too George." With that, they moved apart, each vowing to end it for good and move forward.

* * *

"I haven't seen him, Case." Marti's voice sounded in her ear.

Casey sighed. She had been trying to get ahold of Derek for a week now. He wasn't answering her calls, and when she tried his place, his roommate would always say that he was either out, sleeping or working. "Well, that's funny," Casey said once she heard that, "Because last I knew he was out of a job." She could picture the roommate shrugging on the other end of the line. "I don't know what to tell you," was all he said. Casey wondered if Derek was sitting right there next to him motioning to end the call. "OK, well, can you give him another message from me that I called?" She asked, not having much hope that he would call her back.

"Will do." The guy said cheerfully before hanging up.

Casey went downstairs and sat next to George, who was watching TV. "Well, I just tried to call him and got the run around – again." She said to him.

George looked at her sympathetically. He too, was being shut out by Derek. "He must be angrier than we thought. I'll give him a little more time, but if he keeps freezing me out, I have half a mind to drive to Toronto and confront him in person, which maybe I should have done right away." He said softly.

"George, neither of us knows what the right way to handle this is. It's a delicate situation, and the last I checked, there's not a handbook for these types of things."

He nodded and said nothing. They sat together in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

**Review please!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

**Chapter Seven**

The weeks passed and Christmas was approaching. George sat in the kitchen, deep in thought. He and Casey still hadn't been able to pin down Derek, and last weekend, George had had enough. He called his ex-wife, Abby.

"What happened between the two of you, George?" Abby asked. "Derek's been even more impossible than usual. We hardly ever see him, and when we do, he's angry and sullen. So what did you do?" she asked accusingly.

George rolled his eyes, remembering why he and Abby split up in the first place. "Why do you always assume that _I'm_ at fault?" Dumb question, he knew, considering he _was_.

"George, I was married to you, remember? I know better than anyone how you can be." She said with a smile in her voice.

He didn't ask her to elaborate on what she meant by that. "Well, that was a long time ago. What is happening between Derek and I is better left between us, Abby. Can you just give me his address? I'm going to see him myself." Being the flaky person that he was, George had misplaced Derek's address months ago and hadn't bothered to ask for it again.

"Sure. I hope for both your sakes that you iron out whatever it is that's wrong – at least before the holidays get here." Abby said, and then added, "Are you going to stop by and see Marti?"

George was conflicted. He would love nothing more than to see his youngest, but at the moment, he had his mind on his oldest and the relationship that hung in the balance. "I don't think so. Just don't tell her I was in town, OK? I'll see her in a few weeks when she comes for Christmas."

"OK, George, if that's what you want." Abby said disapprovingly before hanging up. George sighed and turned to head to the basement.

So he had set out the next morning, driving for over an hour until he arrived at the apartments where Derek lived with two roommates. It was a short jaunt to the university campus, which was very convenient for them. He pulled up in front of the building and turned off the car, then looked at his watch. It was 11:45 a.m., which meant that George had a pretty good chance of catching Derek at home. He was probably still sleeping. According to Casey, Derek no longer had a job to go to, but then again, it had been a few weeks, so he might be working somewhere else now.

George took a deep breath and exited the car, walking slowly up the walkway. He searched the names on the mailboxes until he came to a tab that read "Michaels/Venturi". He pushed the button and waited to be buzzed in.

"Who is it?" A scratchy voice came over the intercom.

"Hi, I'm Derek's dad. Is he here?" George asked, shifting from foot to foot.

The door buzzed open and George went through it, following the numbers until he came to 104. The apartment door was already ajar and George pushed it open and looked around tentatively before entering. He took in the surroundings. The place was trashed, to put it mildly. 'They must have had a party last night.' George thought to himself.

"Hey." A voice sounded to his right and George turned quickly, taking in what must be a girlfriend of Derek's or his roommate, unless the girl _was_ his roommate, but he didn't think so.

"Hello. I'm George Venturi." He said politely, offering his hand for her to shake.

The girl, a short waif of a thing with short, spiky multi-colored hair, looked at his hand before reaching out to take it. "I'm Gwen, a friend of Derek's. He's still sleeping, but I'll go wake him and tell him you're here." She said before turning and heading down the hallway.

George looked around for a place to sit. His knees were shaking and he felt faint. "I'm afraid of my own son." He muttered to himself. After hearing how upset Derek had been at the discovery of Casey's and his affair, George's stomach had been in knots. He pushed some beer cans to the floor and sat down on the edge of the couch. 'Casey would freak if she saw this place,' he thought idly as he waited for Derek to appear.

In Derek's room, Gwen was trying to wake him up. "Derek!" She said, shaking him roughly. "Dammit, wake up! Your dad's here to see you!"

Derek groaned and pulled the pillow over his head. "Go away, Gwen." He said, his voice muffled.

"No can do, party boy. Now get up and go face your father." Gwen was Derek's best female friend at college. They had grown close in their years there together. Derek had confided to her about what he had discovered between his father and stepsister and Gwen had been there to comfort him. Theirs was a mostly platonic relationship: At one time they tried dating, but they figured out they were better off as friends. There were times, however, when they would be between significant others and would fall into bed with each other, mostly after a night of drinking. They had an unspoken agreement: There were no expectations of a relationship other than friendship. Gwen hated the term "Friends with benefits," but that's exactly what they were.

"Tell my father he can go fuck himself." Derek said angrily into his pillow.

Gwen rolled her eyes. "No matter how wrong he is, Derek, I will not tell him that. He drove all the way here to speak to you. The least you can do is tell him yourself." She turned and went to the mirror, just now realizing that she was basically in her skivvies, wearing a thin white tank top and girl-boxers. She searched the room for her clothes and pulled them on, then headed to the bathroom to brush her teeth. "Derek," she said around her toothbrush, "I'm going out there and telling him you'll be right out. Don't make a liar out of me." She spit and rinsed. "Get your ass out of bed, NOW!" she shouted.

Derek jumped and sat up in bed. "Geez, woman! Not so loud! I'm nursing a major hangover here!" He groaned and stood up, rubbing his head.

Gwen smiled and headed to the living room. "He'll be right out." She said to George, who was sitting stiffly on the couch with his hands in his lap. They stared at each other until Gwen said, "Would you like some orange juice or something?"

George smiled at her manners. "Sure, that would be great." His mouth felt like the Sahara, but he wasn't sure drinking the acidic juice was the best thing for his roiling stomach. Nevertheless, it was liquid, and he would take anything right now.

She came back and gave him the glass before starting to clean up the place. "I'm sorry for the mess. What was supposed to be a 'small get together' turned into a big blowout." She said apologetically. She gathered cans and threw them into a big garbage bag. After that, she went around and emptied the various ashtrays that were scattered around the apartment. 'So that's what that smell is,' George thought distastefully. The place had a stale smell of beer and smoke and George longed for some fresh air.

"Not a problem, I remember what it was like in college." He said smiling at Gwen.

She nodded, but said nothing. At that moment Derek appeared in the hallway, wearing a pair of jeans, a dark blue t-shirt and a hard expression on his face. "What are you doing here?" he asked George rudely.

George rose quickly from the couch. "I've been trying to get a hold of you, but I obviously haven't had any luck. I got tired of waiting and decided to come see you myself." He said evenly.

Derek sneered. "Well, you saw me. Now you can turn around and leave." He said before heading into the kitchen and grabbing a beer from the refrigerator.

George raised his eyebrow but said nothing. Gwen, however, wasn't going to let that one pass. "Derek. Beer in the morning? Give me that." She said, reaching for the can.

Derek held the can out of her reach. "Gwen. Don't you have somewhere to be?" He asked, his eyes heavy on hers.

She sighed and put her arm down. "As a matter of fact, I do." She gathered up her purse and cell phone, then slipped on her shoes. "Talk to you later, Derek." She said. He said nothing, just nodded. Turning to George, she said, "Nice to meet you," before exiting the apartment.

George and Derek stood in the kitchen, staring each other down before George spoke. "So, is Gwen your roommate?"

Derek said nothing, just stared at him. George tried again. "How's school going? You should be done in a few days for holiday break, right?"

Still nothing.

Finally Derek spoke. "Is this what you came here to talk about?"

George looked down and took a deep breath. "No it's not, but you're not giving me much here. I do want to know what's going on your life, you're still my son."

Derek snorted but answered his father's questions. "No, she isn't my roommate, she's just a friend. My roommates are out of town, and school is the same." He paused, then continued, "Happy now? OK, goodbye, drive safe." He said, dismissing George before walking around him to the living room.

George turned and followed him, choking down his anger. He counted to 10 before saying, "Derek. I need to explain to you some things . . . about Casey and me." He said, his voice low.

Derek stopped walking, still facing away from his father. He slowly turned and looked at him. The expression on Derek's face threw him for a loop. It was one of anger, sadness, fear and despair, all rolled into one. The force of it almost knocked George over. "Can we sit and talk for a bit?" He asked Derek softly, motioning to the couch.

Derek said nothing, but moved to sit, settling heavily on the couch. He took a drink of beer before putting the can on the end table. George sat in the chair opposite him and tried to gather his thoughts. On the way here, he went over what he wanted to say in his head. However, now that the time had come, and his son was sitting in front of him waiting to hear what he had to say, the thoughts were gone, leaving words swirling around in his head. George felt a headache coming on. "First of all, I'd like to tell you how very sorry I am for hurting you. It was never my intention. You are my son, and I love you." At this, he moved his eyes up to check Derek's reaction and was stunned to see tears in his son's eyes. He angrily brushed them away when he noticed George looking at him. George swallowed the lump in his throat and continued. "After Nora died, I was knocked flat. I didn't want to live, Derek. I couldn't get up in the morning. There would be days when I didn't leave my bed. Edwin would have to come down and physically get me up to shower and eat.

"After Marti and Lizzie left . . . there was no light in the house. Only a dark cloud that seemed to hover over us." George paused, thinking back to those days when everything was gray, when food had no taste, when there were no colors – all of his senses were dulled. He was in a tunnel, walking deeper and deeper into it, the darkness choking him, making him claustrophobic.

He continued, "I wouldn't have made it without Casey . . . she took care of me," He stopped when he heard Derek snort. Ignoring it, he went on, "She made me want to live again, and I'm not talking about the physical stuff when I say that. Just the fact that she was there everyday . . . putting her own needs on the back burner while keeping me together, not to mention handling everything else around the house _and_ still working part-time . . . well, I honestly don't know how she did it."

Derek said nothing, but George could tell that he was listening intently. He continued, "It was like Casey said. We never meant for it to happen. We were just two people who were thrown together in a terrible situation who turned to each other for comfort. The problem was, once it happened, we couldn't seem to stop. It was almost like an addiction . . ." George said, trailing off, his eyes glassy with memories.

Derek couldn't take anymore. He shot up from the couch and started pacing. "Didn't it ever occur to you that you were taking advantage of her?" He spat at George while raking a hand through his hair. "Jesus Christ, Dad! The girl had just lost her mother, and here you come – moving right in for the kill. You're supposed to be the parent, not the other way around! And parents aren't supposed to comfort their children with sex! My god, didn't you even think about these things?" he asked, looking at his father incredulously.

George hung his head in shame. He had no defense for any of that. He knew what he did was wrong, but he also knew that both he and Casey were adults, and Casey would certainly dispute that George took advantage of her. In fact, _she_ was the aggressor on many occasions. He thought back to a time when Casey had ambushed him as soon as he walked in the door . . .

He snapped out of it, ashamed at where his thoughts were taking him. George lifted his head to look at Derek, who was standing there stiffly with his arms crossed over his chest, waiting for an answer. George breathed in deeply. "Derek, I know what happened shouldn't have happened, and maybe I did take advantage of Casey, although at the time, that wasn't my intention. But let's remember a few key things here, Derek. Number One: Casey and I are adults. And number two: She is my stepdaughter, we are not blood related. I know that doesn't mean much to you, but obviously, it's a big deal to me." George looked at Derek, willing him to understand. "Anyway, Casey and I decided to end it for good. We don't want our family to be torn apart by this." He stood up and slowly approached Derek. "Son, Casey and I feel horrible for what happened and we just want our family back together again. We're thinking it's time for Marti and Lizzie to come home. We need to move on and try to get things back to normal as much as possible." Looking at Derek, he reached out and grasped his shoulder. "We would love it if you came home for Christmas, the first since Nora . . ." George trailed off, swallowing thickly. "What do you say?"

Derek stood there looking at the hand on his shoulder, then moved his eyes up to his father's face. It was obvious that George was torn up about what had happened. And Derek felt badly about that – for about a minute. He shrugged his father's hand off and leaned over, grabbing the beer and gulping it down. "Yeah, well, that's nice and all, but you should have thought of that before you starting fucking _her_." Derek was finding it hard to even say Casey's name, let alone look at his father's face. And the thought of them together, their bodies rutting against each other, the sounds he heard ringing in his head . . . it made his blood boil. "I'm going to have to pass on Christmas, pops. I already have plans." He looked at his watch. "Now, if you don't mind, I have somewhere to be." He said, essentially dismissing his father.

George saw red. He moved toward Derek and shoved him against the wall, pinning him there with his hands. Derek's eyes widened and he looked shocked. He had never seen his father so angry before. "Derek, I will not have you disrespecting me like that. I've apologized, Casey's apologized. We understand that it will take awhile for you to get over this, but you need to stop pouting and grow up." He said in a deadly voice.

Derek's face went from shocked to angry. "Get off me, before I do something I _won't_ regret later." He spat in George's face.

"Dammit, Derek! Why are you being so obstinate about this? I can understand your anger, but it's bordering on ridiculous!" George said, breathing hard in Derek's face.

Derek struggled against his father until George let him go, stepping back. "I'm ridiculous? _I'm_ ridiculous?" Derek ranted, his voice getting louder with each word. "Ridiculous is a 40-something-year-old man fucking his 20-something stepdaughter! While his sons are in the same house! Did you two fuck when Marti and Lizzie were there? Could you at least keep it in your pants then?" Derek was raving now, the words falling from his lips without thinking. "How many times did you do it? Did she seek you out or did you just take her? How does she like it, huh? Slow and gentle or fast and rough?" Derek asked hatefully, his face red.

Stunned, George stared at him before deciding he couldn't listen anymore. "Enough!" He yelled loudly, shutting Derek up. "Derek, what has gotten into you? How dare you ask those questions of me! Have you no respect for your sister? You make her sound like a slut. She's not. She's a young woman who was lost after her mother died. I was a man who was desperate for something, anything, after losing my wife suddenly. It happened. It's over. That's it." He said resolutely. George said nothing after this, instead examining Derek's face carefully. There was something here that he was missing, and it was bothering him.

Then it hit him like a ton of bricks. It all made sense now and he couldn't believe he didn't see it before. His heart sank and he hoped he was mistaken, but somehow knew that he wasn't. "I can't believe I didn't see it before," George said softly, making Derek's head snap up. "You . . ." He took a deep breath before venturing further. "You're in love with her, aren't you?"

At this, Derek's face turned red and a panicked look flashed across his features before disappearing. "What the hell are you babbling about?" he asked his father scornfully.

George ran his hands through his hair. "You have feelings for Casey, don't you? That's why you were _beyond_ upset at discovering our involvement." George said, his stomach sick at the thought. "Oh god. Derek. I'm so sorry. I didn't know. How could I know?" George asked helplessly, shaking his head.

Derek barked out a laugh. "You don't know what the hell you're talking about. Now I want you to get out. I'm late for work." Derek said, his face betraying nothing, but George could tell by the look in his eyes that he was rattled.

George got out his keys. He figured he had said what he needed to say, and along the way discovered something that made everything make sense. He would need to think about this, and the trip home was the perfect time to do it. "OK, Derek. I'm leaving. But I'm not giving up. We need to deal with this, and I still want you to come home for the holidays. Marti will be there, and you know how disappointed she would be if you weren't there." George said, hoping guilt over his little sister would make Derek cave.

Derek nodded sharply but didn't commit one way or the other, instead opening the door and signaling for his father to leave. George sighed and walked past him, entering the hallway and slowly making his way toward the main door. Derek's eyes followed him for a while before he turned and shut the apartment door soundly behind him.

**Review please!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

**Chapter Eight**

Casey was exhausted. In more ways than one. At the end of a long and busy night, she sat at the bar with a cigarette and a beer, counting her tips. 'Not bad,' she thought to herself. Sighing, she cashed in her change before returning to the bar and plopping down on a stool. A few minutes later Jake sat down next to her, a mixed drink in his hand. "Good night?" he asked, his eyes flicking to the wad of cash Casey was tucking in her purse.

"Not bad." She answered, taking a long drag of her smoke.

He nodded and said nothing. They sat there awhile, listening to the clanking sounds of dishes being washed in the back. Casey swiveled in her chair and snuck a glance at her boss. He was handsome in a big, oafish sort of way. His face was striking – dark eyes, thick eyebrows, a straight nose and deep dimples that split his face when he smiled. But it was out of place with his huge body, which was not fat, just _substantial_. Plenty of muscle and bulk. Casey knew that his previous days as a bouncer and professional lifter had made him that way. But underneath the bulk was the heart of a true gentleman, who would still pull the chair out for a lady and throw his coat over a puddle to keep his girl's feet dry.

Jake felt Casey's eyes on him and he turned, smiling at her. "So, how are things going? Is your sister still with your dad?" Jake knew all about Casey's mom and the situation (excluding the thing with George) with the family.

Casey nodded. "Yeah, I really miss her. I wish she would come home to stay, although she _is_ coming home in a few weeks for Christmas."

He nodded sympathetically. "That's gotta be rough, but it's good that you'll be able to spend some time with her." He said before taking a drink from his glass.

At that moment Jake's wife Janice emerged from the office in the back. A scowl appeared on her face when she spotted Casey sitting next to her husband. At this, Casey had to hold back a smile. Janice's jealousy amused her. Of course, it was not without merit, for when Jake and Janice were separated about a year ago, Casey and Jake had briefly dated, but he put a stop to it because he didn't feel comfortable dating an employee. They parted on good terms and that was it. Janice, however, couldn't get over it, and tried everything to get Jake to fire Casey. He was having none of it, and it continued to be a sore spot in their relationship.

"Jake. May I speak with you for a moment?" Janice's shrill voice reminded Casey of nails on a chalk board.

Jake briefly glanced at Casey before getting up and following his wife to the back. Casey strained to hear what was going on, but all she could make out was the murmuring of their voices. She shrugged to herself and got up, gathering her things together. Casey said goodnight to the cleaning crew and headed out, a restless feeling in her soul.

In her car a few minutes later, Casey pondered the way things were going. Derek was still not speaking to her, she and George were keeping their distance, her best friend was hundreds of miles away with her own life, her sister was living with their dad . . . Casey felt more alone than ever. She felt the old urges returning and weighed her options. She didn't feel like going home just yet.

Keeping one hand on the steering wheel, Casey reached across the seat with the other hand and grabbed her cell phone. She dialed a number she hadn't used in awhile and waited for someone to answer. "Yeah?"

"It's Casey. I need to see you. Are you free?"

A pause, and then, "Yes."

Casey smiled grimly. "I'll be there in five."

"I'll be waiting." Then a click as the line disconnected.

Minutes later, she pulled up in front of a house and parked her car. Her phone rang and she looked at the display. It was Max. Casey let the call go to voice mail. She had other things to attend to at the moment . . .

She approached the door and knocked once. Immediately, it opened and she entered. The room was dark but Casey knew she wasn't alone. She felt his presence. The door shut behind her and Casey whirled around. He was standing there in nothing but boxers, his dark eyes staring at her. "Well, I didn't think I'd see you again." He said, his eyes running up and down her body.

Casey said nothing, letting him examine her. She put her phone in her purse and dropped it on the couch. He was on her in an instant, picking her up and throwing her over his shoulder before heading up the stairs. Casey said nothing, letting him take the lead. She always let him take the lead.

He carried her in the bedroom and threw her on the bed. She did nothing, just lay there watching him. She remembered when they met. She was at a club with a friend from work when she spied him across the bar. He was staring at her, his eyes intense. This was shortly after Nora's death, and Casey was distraught, to put it mildly. Before she knew it, they were making out wildly on the dance floor and he was whispering naughty things in her ear. "I want to fuck you. How do you like it?" he had asked, making her body tremble. He was by far the most sexually aggressive person Casey had ever met. He liked to dominate and she was more than happy to let him. She let him take her to his place that night, where he proceeded to fuck her into the bed until she was raw. The next morning, they had exchanged numbers and went their own ways. After the first time, they had been together twice, but Casey didn't think she would ever find herself here again.

"Get undressed." He ordered, standing over her.

She obeyed, stripping out of her work clothes. He watched her, palming himself through his shorts.

"Come here and get on your knees." He said, his eyes burning her skin with their intensity.

Again she obeyed, scurrying off the bed and dropping to her knees in front of him. He stripped out of his boxers and kicked them across the room. "Suck my cock." He said, his voice low.

Casey looked up at him and licked her lips, making his eyes fill with desire. She leaned forward and braced herself against his thighs before darting her tongue out and licking the head. He became impatient and twisted his hand in her hair, pushing her mouth onto him. She gagged before becoming accustomed to the feeling of him. When she did, she proceeded to hollow out her cheeks and suck hard, bobbing her head on him until he came with a moan in her mouth.

She wiped her mouth after swallowing and looked up at him, waiting for his next instruction. She didn't stop to think how a girl like her could find herself in this situation, she didn't think that what she was doing was degrading, she just didn't think. The only way she could feel alive was to feel with her body: pleasure or pain, it didn't matter which one, the lines often became blurred between the two.

He came down from his orgasm and leaned over, grabbing Casey by the arms and hauling her up to him, bringing their lips together harshly. He wasn't gentle, his tongue invading her mouth and his hands running along her body, pawing and squeezing, before moving her back onto the bed and settling on top of her. "Couldn't stay away, could you? You like this, don't you?" He said as he nipped at her skin, leaving marks.

"Yes." She said in a breathy voice, leaning her head back to give him better access to her neck. He dove in, sucking on her skin until she whimpered in pain.

"What do you want me to do now?" he asked, his dick hard again against her thigh.

Casey said nothing, simply reveling in the feeling of a body against hers. She wasn't lonely now.

"Hey!" He said in her ear harshly. "I said . . . what do you want?" He barked, taking his hand and grasping her chin, jerking her head toward him.

"I want you to fuck me." She said robotically.

"What? I didn't quite hear you. Say it again." He ordered, squeezing her tit hard.

She moaned and said it again. "Fuck me."

He laughed cruelly. This was all part of their routine. "How do you want it?" He said before biting her shoulder.

Casey closed her eyes before answering. "Hard and fast. Give it to me hard and fast."

He growled before roughly pushing her legs apart. He reached into the bedside drawer and grabbed a condom, ripping it open and rolling it down onto his cock. Grasping his length, he thrust into her, causing her to arch off the bed. "Yeah . . ." He said starting to move, fucking her deep into the mattress. She said nothing, but wrapped her arms around him and dug her nails into his back. He retaliated by snapping his hips into her and hitting the spot that he knew drove her crazy.

Just when she was about to reach her peak, he pulled out of her and grasped her hips, flipping her over onto her stomach. He reached around and pulled her up onto her hands and knees before entering her again. She gasped and clutched the bedspread, using her body to push back on him.

He continued to thrust into her before he started up with the running dialogue that he liked to do. "Oh yeah, I love how you take my cock. So tight and wet . . . you like it rough, don't you?" He never really expected an answer; he just liked to hear himself talk while fucking. He smacked her ass hard and she flinched. He was hitting her deep now, his cock thrusting up against her cervix. Casey knew she would be sore tomorrow, but she didn't care.

She felt her orgasm starting and her breathing quickened, becoming pants. He could feel her getting close and reached his hand in her hair, pulling it hard. She winced, but said nothing as he pulled her head back and leaned over to mash their lips together, his lower half still splitting her in two. A few thrusts later, he was coming inside her, his cock throbbing with the spurts. He collapsed on her back and they lay there for a while, not speaking. Eventually, he got off her and went into the bathroom. She lay there, trying to catch her breath, her body slick with sweat.

He returned and she turned her head to look at him. He was dressed again, and was holding a beer. "Well. That was even better than I remembered. You're welcome to stop by anytime." He said, leering at her.

She smiled thinly and got up to retrieve her clothes, pulling them on numbly. When she was finished, she said goodbye and was on her way, her mind strangely blank on the drive home.

* * *

Edwin knew something was going on, he just didn't know what it was. Casey and George were strangely awkward with each other, not meeting each other's eyes and taking great care to avoid physical contact of any kind. Derek hadn't called or come by in awhile, and Edwin wondered if the two situations were related. He shrugged and continued eating his breakfast. A while later, Casey entered the kitchen looking worn out and walking gingerly. "Hey Case. Wow, you look horrible." He blurted out before thinking. He mentally slapped himself. 'Nice one, Ace.'

Casey scowled at him. "Thanks a lot, Edwin. I can always count on you to lift my spirits." She said, opening the fridge and searching the contents. She didn't find anything she liked and shut it again. Her appetite was basically gone, what with her stomach in constant knots ever since the Derek debacle.

"Hey, I never got to tell you how it went with Lisa." Ed said, trying to cheer her up. His eyes ran over her and he noticed what looked like hickeys on the side of her neck. His eyebrows rose, but he said nothing.

"Hmmm." Casey said absentmindedly.

Edwin plowed ahead with his story, hoping Casey would become interested and start talking. "So I met her for lunch, right? And she was all . . . blah, blah, blah," That's what Casey heard, anyway. She tried hard to tune in to Edwin, but she just couldn't concentrate.

"Ed, I'm sorry, but I'm not feeling well. Can you finish telling me the story later? I think I'm going to go back and lie down." She said, not waiting for an answer before leaving the room. Edwin sat there for a moment and then continued eating.

* * *

Derek was angry. Angrier than he had ever been in his life. His father didn't know what the hell he was talking about! He didn't know a damn thing about how Derek felt – about Casey, or anything else, for that matter. He paced back and forth in the apartment, ready to tear his hair out. He thought over everything that had happened recently, trying to sort out all his feelings. Did he overreact? Was he overly upset? He didn't think so, but he also knew that his feelings of anger weren't going away, and he couldn't get his imagination to stop picturing his father and Casey together, going at it in hundreds of different situations. He felt bile rise from his stomach and swallowed it down. He knew he had feelings for Casey, but they were just brotherly feelings, right? He was only looking after her, right? He swore and went to his room, plopping on his bed. Derek thought about his father pleading with him to come home and shook his head. "Not gonna happen." He said to himself.

It was the day before Christmas Eve. Marti and Lizzie were due to arrive in the morning and George was getting the house ready. There was still no word from Derek on whether or not he would come, but George was determined to remain hopeful. He saw movement out of the corner of his eye and looked to find Casey coming down the stairs. "Morning, Case." George said, trying to remain cheerful despite all the turmoil.

Casey grunted and moved past him into the kitchen. He noticed that she looked thinner and paler. She was not taking good care of herself. More and more he would spy her sitting outside smoking, and she now had a chronic cough, which by the sound of it, was getting worse. He followed her into the kitchen. "Would you like me to make something for you for breakfast?" He asked her, trying to catch her eye.

"No thanks, I'm not hungry." She said, drinking the coffee she had just poured.

George decided to push a little. "Are you sure? Cuz you look like you've lost some weight. Are you eating enough?"

Casey looked at him sharply with an annoyed expression on her face. "I'm fine, George. I just haven't felt well lately."

He nodded and said nothing. If she wasn't feeling well, he was determined to take care of her like she took care of him. 'Well, not _exactly_ like she took care of me . . .' he thought, his eyes moving of their own accord from her face down to her breasts. He unconsciously licked his lips. 'OK. Time to think of something else.' He said to himself. "I'm sure glad Marti and Lizzie are coming home tomorrow. It will be like old times." He said smiling.

Casey focused her eyes somewhere over his shoulder. "Yes, it will be nice to have everyone together." She said somewhat mechanically. They didn't say it, but they were both thinking the same thing: Everyone wouldn't be together because Nora was dead and Derek hated them both. It was like the elephant in the room – taking up all the space, but no one daring to acknowledge it.

"Casey, are you OK?" George asked softly, not bearing to see her suffer. "I'm worried about you." He added, reaching across the island to take her hand.

She studied their joined hands for a moment before speaking. "It's just Christmas, George. The first without my mother. I guess I'm having a harder time dealing with it than I thought I would. I'll be OK." She answered softly, squeezing his hand before drawing it back.

George felt somewhat relieved that she confided in him. "I know. I feel the same way. On one hand, I'm glad it's the holidays; that Marti and Liz will be here. But on the other hand, it only magnifies what's different about everything . . ." He trailed off, studying Casey's face. Through all this, his confrontation with Derek was in the back of his mind. He had been contemplating telling Casey about Derek's feelings for her, but he didn't feel like it was his place. At least, that's what he told himself. There was a small part of him that was afraid . . . afraid of what her reaction would be. George shut that avenue of thought off, not wanting to go there right now.

She nodded and stood up. "Well, I'm going out for awhile. I'll be back later." With that, she turned and headed upstairs to change before leaving a short while after. George sat on the stool and rested his head on his hand, his mind full of swirling thoughts.

The next day, the house was full of noise, as Marti and Lizzie had arrived – Liz by plane and Marti by car. After Marti gave George a big hug, she disappeared up the stairs, heading straight for her old room, which she had missed terribly. Abby took the opportunity to pull George aside. "Derek isn't coming. He says he can't get off work." Seeing his disappointed expression, she quickly added. "Just give it time, George. He'll come around, whatever it is." Abby said, her hand on his arm. She was dying to know what had happened, but knew better than to press him again on it.

George nodded. "Why don't you stay awhile and have a cup of coffee or something? Or do you have to rush back to Toronto?" He asked, never knowing what Abby's plans were.

She smiled. "No, I don't have to rush back. In fact, I'm staying in town at a friend's for awhile. I guess I can come in for some coffee." She said, toeing off her shoes and taking off her coat.

George held out his arm and she took it, before they both headed into the kitchen.

That night, Casey was enjoying the sound of laughter from her family. She, George, Lizzie, Marti and Edwin sat around the dinner table, eating the meal that Casey and George made together – pot roast and mashed potatoes. Marti had wanted to help, so George put her to work making cookies, as baking was her specialty. Hours later, there were dozens of different cookies cooling on racks on the counters, leaving not much room for anything else.

Edwin was in the middle of telling a story about something that happened at work. "So, I'm there, minding my own business, when this old lady comes up to me and asks me where the adult diapers are. So, I stop what I'm doing and lead her over to where they are. She proceeds to start telling me that she doesn't have her glasses on her and she can't see very well, can I help her pick out the right kind and size? I say OK and ask her what she needs. She says to me, 'Well, young man, I use a few different kinds, so let me see . . .' Then, right there in the aisle, she pulls down her pants and turns around, bending over. She says to me, 'What does it say on the top? Is it Depends? Or the cheapie brand?'" At this, the whole table cracked up.

"No way. Did that really happen?" Marti asked unbelievingly.

"I'm totally serious, Marti." Edwin said laughing. "I mean, I've always said I like older women, but that's ridiculous!" Everyone laughed harder at this, and Casey felt happier than she had in a long time.

Later that night, she and Lizzie lay together in Casey's room, catching up. "I'm so glad you came back, sis. Are you going to be staying awhile?" Casey asked hopefully.

Lizzie smiled and looked at her sister. "Well, I'm staying until the weekend, then heading back."

Casey frowned a bit at this. That was only four days! "Oh. I had hoped you would be able to stay a little longer."

Lizzie turned onto her side to face Casey. "I'm sorry, sis. But that's the only time I could get a flight back. And besides," she added, pausing, "That's about as long as I can handle being away from Glen." She said, smiling lopsidedly.

Casey understood now. Lizzie was in love. She sighed and hugged her sister to her. "I just miss you, Liz. I want my sister to come home." She said into Lizzie's hair.

Lizzie hugged her back. "I know, Case. But I've made a life in New York, and I don't know when I'll be coming back." She loved Casey and the rest of the family, and missed Canada, but she also loved Glen and missed her life in the states. She just hoped that Casey would understand.

She did. "Well, I'm happy that you found someone, Liz. Maybe sometime you can bring him home for us to meet?" She said, moving back to look Lizzie in the eyes.

Lizzie smiled and nodded. "Of course! Maybe we can visit during Spring Break."

Casey grinned. "Well, it's settled then. You tell him that whatever he had planned, cancel it. He's coming to Canada!" Lizzie looked at Casey for a moment before busting up laughing, making Casey laugh as well. The sisters talked for awhile longer, laughing and giggling, just happy to be in each other's company again.

* * *

Derek sat in his apartment, watching TV and drinking. He was well on his way to blitzville, but it wasn't enough. He wanted to obliterate any and all feelings he had. He grabbed the remote and started flipping through the channels, trying to find something to occupy his mind. He stopped when he came across a show with a girl on it who looked remarkably like Casey. She had long, dark hair and blue eyes. That was about where the similarities ended, but in his alcohol-addled mind, it was her.

He grunted and let his head fall back on the couch. It had been a long time since he had seen or spoken to her _or_ his father. Derek was in a funk and he knew it. He was short-tempered and impatient, often biting his roommates' heads off if they dared ask him a question. Gwen had taken to calling him "Scrooge". He snorted and took another drink. Women. He almost wished he was gay, so he wouldn't have to deal with them. At that thought, he whipped his head back and laughed aloud. He must really be wasted . . .

The ringing of her cell phone on the table next to her woke Casey. Her eyes picked out the glowing display of her phone and she reached out her arm and grabbed it. "Hello?" She said groggily.

There was silence on the other end. "Hello?" She asked again, sitting up a bit.

Nothing, but she could hear breathing on the other end. "Who is this?" she asked, a little annoyed.

There was nothing but the click of someone hanging up. Casey took the phone away from her ear and looked at the number. It was unfamiliar to her. She shrugged and put the phone down, falling back to sleep.

Derek sat on the couch with the phone in his hand, his finger on the disconnect button. "Stupid, stupid, stupid," he chanted while banging his head against the back of the couch. He couldn't help it, though. He absolutely needed to hear her voice, but when he did, he froze up and didn't know what to do. Sighing, he put the phone back on the hook. "Merry Fucking Christmas." He said to himself before taking another drink.

**Review please!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

**Chapter Nine**

Christmas passed quickly, and soon it was time for Marti and Lizzie to leave. Abby and George talked about it, and they both decided that Marti would finish out the school year in Toronto before coming back to London. Lizzie was still noncommittal about her return. Casey's heart sank, but she knew that Lizzie had to do what was best for her, not anyone else.

Although it was nice having _almost_ everyone together, Casey continued to fall into a depression, smoking and drinking more than ever. Lizzie and Edwin were worried and spoke to George about it. He told them he would watch out for her, which seemed to satisfy them. Now it was New Year's Eve and Edwin was out with his latest flavor-of-the-week, leaving George to watch a movie by himself.

Casey was in her room, having the night off, but also not having any concrete plans. She had many invites, but she felt lukewarm about all of them. She looked at herself in the mirror. She _was_ thinner, and her skin had a pallor to it that didn't used to be there. Her eyes were tired and smudged with dark circles, and her hair hung limply over her shoulders. She scowled at herself and grabbed her cigarettes, heading outside.

* * *

Derek was at a party. Already the loud music was giving him a headache and he'd only been there a half hour. He took a sip of beer and watched Gwen dance with a few other people. Derek wasn't feeling very festive and really just wanted to get the hell out of there. Gwen noticed him watching her and gave him a slight wave. He nodded his head in acknowledgement. He was scanning the room with his eyes when someone jumped on his back. "What the fuck?" He yelled, throwing the person off and whirling around. Ralph was on the floor, holding his head.

"Ralph? What the hell, man! Are you _trying_ to break my back?" Derek asked, leaning over to help him up.

Ralph rubbed his head. "Hey dude. I saw you from across the room and had to come see what was up." He said, giving Derek a man-hug.

Derek smiled. "Sorry, guy. I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"Nah, I got a hard head." He said grinning loopily. "So, what are you doing here?"

"What the hell does it look like I'm doing? I'm partying!" Derek said sarcastically.

Ralph laughed. "I mean, what are you doing _here_? In Toronto?"

"Ralphie, I go to school here, man. You knew that." Derek said, rolling his eyes at his friend's bad memory. 'This kid is dumber than a bag of hammers.'

"Oh yeah! I forgot about that! Well, I haven't seen you in forever, man. How've you been?" Ralph asked, clapping Derek on the back.

Derek shook his head, exasperated. "Dude. We just saw each other a few months ago at Ed's party, remember?" At Ralph's confused look, Derek added, "You wanted everyone to sing Celine Dion songs with you?"

Ralph's eyes widened. "No way. Dude, that stays between us, got it? I don't want to ruin my rep."

"Yeah, yeah. Your secret's safe with me." Derek shot back sarcastically. "Besides, it's better for me if people don't know I'm friends with someone who likes Celine Dion." He was silent for a moment and then asked, "So, what are _you_ doing in Toronto?"

"I'm staying with my cousin for a week. This is his friend-of-a-friend's house." Ralph said, nodding his head to the music.

Derek said nothing, continuing to scan the crowd, bored out of his mind.

Ralph's voice interrupted his thoughts. "So, is that hot little number over there yours?" He asked, motioning with his head in Gwen's direction.

Derek moved his eyes to Gwen, who was dancing wildly in the middle of a group of guys. "Nah, we're just friends, man."

Ralph looked speculatively at Derek. "So you wouldn't mind if I asked her out?"

Derek sighed. "No, you can do anything you want." Derek had no illusions about his and Gwen's relationship. He almost thought of her as a sister – a sister who he sometimes slept with. 'Oh, that's _real_ healthy,' he thought, mentally slapping himself.

"Cool." Ralph said before dancing his way over to Gwen. Derek observed them talking for a while before he turned and headed outside. He needed some air.

* * *

George assessed his situation. Here he was, alone on New Year's Eve, with nothing to keep him company but a bottle of wine and a movie. His mind automatically went to last New Year's Eve, which was just a few weeks before Nora's death. They had spent a romantic evening at a fancy restaurant downtown, splurging on food that they usually couldn't afford and going through two bottles of wine. George twirled Nora around the dance floor, her head thrown back, laughing. He wiped a tear from his eye. God, how he missed her. He thought again for the hundredth time how he couldn't wait for Marti and Liz to come home. Now, if he could only make things right with Derek . . .

Casey sat outside in the cold, shivering as she got her nicotine fix. She should be inside somewhere at a party enjoying herself and getting wasted, but she didn't have the energy for it. Max had already called, wanting her to come over because his parents were out of town. She declined, telling him that she didn't feel well, which wasn't entirely a lie – her stomach was still a bit messed up. She sighed and stubbed out her cigarette, heading inside.

* * *

"Derek?" Gwen's voice sounded to his right. He turned and looked at her. She was standing just outside the door, trembling in her short sleeves. "What are you doing out here?"

"The music was giving me a headache." He said bluntly. "I needed some air."

She nodded, wrapping her arms around herself. "Are you going to come back in?"

Derek thought about that. He really didn't want to be here. Looking around, he realized for the first time in a while that he would rather be alone than surrounded by people he didn't know who were drinking and acting like idiots. But he and Gwen had come together, and he didn't want to ruin her night. Shrugging his shoulders, he answered. "Sure, I'll be there in a minute."

Gwen examined his face. "Nah, let's get out of here. I can tell you're not in the mood to party. Why don't we go back to your place, order a pizza and watch some movies? What do ya say?" She asked, cocking her head.

He smiled at her. "Gwennie, that's the best idea I've heard all night."

She smiled. "Great. Let me go get my coat and say goodbye to some people. I'll see you in the car in a few."

Derek nodded and headed out front.

* * *

Casey stopped short when she spied George sitting on the couch by himself, watching a movie and drinking straight out of a wine bottle. It was sad. She should be seeing Nora there, her head on George's shoulder, snuggling up together and talking quietly. Instead, Nora was gone, leaving them in a house that felt pretty damn empty at the moment. She sighed and walked up behind the couch, leaning over and hugging George around the neck.

He jumped at the contact and turned his head to see who it was. "Casey! You scared me!" He said, turning in her arms to look at her face. "Is everything OK?"

Casey refrained from rolling her eyes. He was always asking her that. "Yes, George. I'm fine. Quit worrying all the time, will you?" she said annoyed.

"OK, OK." He said, turning back to the television screen. She didn't release her hold on him, instead nuzzling her head into his neck. He did nothing, but she could feel how on edge he was.

After a beat, he spoke. "Uh, Case, what are you doing?"

"I'm hugging my stepdad, is that a crime?" she answered testily. She then moved her hands to his shoulders and started massaging them, making him moan in appreciation.

Casey continued to knead his muscles, noting how tense they were. "Where's Ed?"

"Don't know. All I know is he said he was going out with some girl he met and not to wait up for him." George replied with his eyes closed, relishing the feeling of her hands on him.

"Hmmm, OK." Casey said, taking her hands off George and walking around the couch to stand in front of him.

At the loss of her touch, George opened his eyes and focused on her. "Wha . . .?" He started, but stopped when Casey moved to straddle him. "Casey . . ." He whispered, closing his eyes. 'I'm not strong enough for this.' He thought to himself.

She said nothing, simply wrapping her arms around him and burying her face in his neck, kissing the skin there.

"Casey, no." He said softly. "We agreed, remember?"

"I know what we said, but it's New Years. I thought we could have _our own_ little party." She said in his ear, sticking her tongue out and licking his earlobe.

He moaned but didn't move, clenching his hands in the fabric of the couch.

"Come on, George. I know you still want me. You think I don't notice how you look at me?" She said breathily, grinding herself on his dick.

George breathed deeply, trying to maintain what little control he had left. He put his hands up and grasped Casey's arms, trying to move her off him. She moved away slightly to look in his eyes. "What's the matter?" She asked in a small voice.

"I can't do this anymore." George said moving her off him and standing up. A vision of Derek's tearful face appeared in his head making his resolve harden. He paced and ran a hand through his hair. "This has to stop."

Casey watched him pace back and forth, her mouth open in shock. He was denying _her_? She wasn't used to that, and it made her angry. She really _was_ alone. She stood up and straightened her clothes. In a steely voice, Casey said, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. It will never happen again." Then she turned around and headed up the stairs, not bothering to look back.

George watched her with his eyes until he heard the door to her bedroom slam. He sat down heavily on the couch and reached for the bottle of wine, taking a big swig. He wondered when things were going to get easier.

* * *

Derek and Gwen sat on the couch in his apartment, watching _10 Things I Hate About You_. Gwen was cuddled into Derek's side, her head on his shoulder, hand resting on his stomach. "I have to say, despite it being a remake of a Shakespeare play, this movie rocks." Derek admitted a half-smile on his face.

Gwen smiled. "See? I'm going to make you cultured yet."

He snorted. "Whatever, Ms. I-Can't-Miss-Wrestling-On-Mondays." He retorted, pinching her thigh.

She squealed. "Derek, stop! You know how ticklish I am!"

He laughed. "You know, Casey would freak if she heard me say that I liked anything having to do with Shakespeare. When she first moved in, she was always trying to introduce more culture into the household. We fought so much . . ." he trailed off, the grin falling from his face. He cleared his throat. "Anyway, that was a long time ago."

Gwen moved back a bit and tilted her head to look at him. "Derek. When are you going to admit to yourself that you have feelings for her?"

He snapped his head toward her, a shocked look on his face. 'Not her, too!' He thought. "What's that now?"

"Oh, come on. Don't play dumb with me. It may work on everyone else, but I know you better than anyone, remember?" She said, her hand taking his.

Derek sighed heavily. "Have you been talking to my father? Cuz he said the same thing."

Gwen's eyes widened, absorbing that. "No, but Derek, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out."

"How could you tell?" He asked before thinking.

"Well, let's see . . . how about the fact that you talk about her all the time, even before all the shit with your dad went down . . . or how you look when you say her name, your face all dreamy and disgusting," At that, Derek's eyes snapped on hers, "Or how about the depth of your anger and resentment of the situation? I mean, it's normal to be upset, sure, but you've been obsessed with it since you found out. Derek, you're not eating or sleeping, and I _know_ something's wrong when you don't want to party!" She quipped, a smile on her face.

Derek sat mute, stunned at Gwen's observations. 'Am I that obvious?' It was a rhetorical question – he knew that he was. "I never meant for it to happen." He said softly, looking down at the floor. Admitting his feelings aloud, well, that felt downright _alien_ to him.

"Never meant for what to happen?" Gwen asked softly, her fingers stroking his.

Derek took a shuddering breath before answering. "I never meant to fall in love with her." He stopped, and then added, "But it's too late. They're together now. I mean, he told me it was over, but I just know it's not. I just know it." He said, the words tumbling from his lips, which were trembling with the effort to keep his tears at bay. It was too late, the tears were coming and they weren't stopping.

In all the years they had been friends, Gwen had never seen Derek shed tears – even when Nora died, he was stoic. She was witnessing a rare event: Derek Venturi was crying, and not just a few tears – he was sobbing, his arms reaching for her. He clutched at her back with his hands and sniffled in her hair. Her heart broke for Derek, for she knew a long time before him that he harbored deep feelings for his stepsister. But _he_ had to be the one to acknowledge them. It was just a shame that things had to happen as they did. "Shhhhh, it's OK, let it out, you'll feel so much better when you do." She said, rubbing his back comfortingly.

Derek couldn't help it – he couldn't hold it inside anymore – the feelings that he had kept so tightly reined in were bursting forth and once they started, they didn't want to stop. All his grief, disappointment, longing, desire, lust, anger, and betrayal – all of it came spewing out, wracking his body with sobs. Derek knew that he and Gwen would never speak of this after tonight – he could trust her with anything – and he also knew that this was the first step in moving on with his life, with or without his stepsister.

When he felt he couldn't cry anymore, Derek moved back and wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. "Wow. I don't think I've ever cried that hard in my life." He marveled, his red and swollen eyes on Gwen.

She smiled – a brilliant smile – her eyes crinkling and her teeth shining. "Do you feel better?"

Derek thought about it. "Yeah, I do, actually. Thanks." He said sincerely, squeezing her hand and bringing it up to his lips.

"Yeah, well, all in a day's work." She quipped, making him laugh. Grinning, she said, "So, can we get back to watching the movie please? All this girly stuff is cramping my style."

"Oh, you love it, you big mush ball." Derek shot back.

She turned and looked at him, a serious expression on her face. "Yeah, I know." She said before busting up, making him laugh with her.

* * *

"Casey?" The voice whispered in her ear.

She was in the place between wakefulness and sleep when she heard it again. "Case?"

Casey opened her eyes and saw George on his knees next to her bed. She glanced at her clock. It was 2:24 a.m. "George?" she asked questioningly.

He said nothing, simply gazing at her, his eyes heavy on hers. George reached out his hand and brushed her hair away from her face, his touch lingering on her cheek. She sighed and lifted the covers, moving over to make room for him. A grateful smile appeared on his face and he got in, taking her in his arms. They lay there in silence until George spoke. "Casey, I . . ."

"Shhhh," She said, rolling on top of him. "No more talking tonight, OK?"

From his position underneath her, George nodded mutely before watching Casey strip off her shirt and settle back on him.

An hour later, George lay next to Casey, wide awake. He moved to his side and watched her sleep, her breathing deep and even. The moonlight shown off her shoulders, making her skin appear almost translucent. George caressed the skin there, causing her to shift a bit in her sleep. He lay on his back again, looking at the ceiling, full of self-hate. He had to be about the most loathsome father ever, continuing to sleep with the woman who his son was in love with. 'God, I am so weak!' he thought to himself. Even _he_ knew that Casey was stuck in a bad place, yet he continued to let himself fall for her charms. He vowed to be strong from now on, not putting himself in any situations that would give them opportunity to be together in that way. Sighing, George slowly exited the bed, trying not to wake Casey up. He dressed quickly and slipped out the door, heading to his room, his thoughts in a jumble.

The following week was hell for everyone in the McDonald/Venturi house. The first anniversary of Nora's death was approaching and everyone was trying to pretend that everything was normal, when they all knew that it wasn't. Casey was going out every night after work, drinking until she couldn't see. She was smoking up to two packs a day, the constant cough turning into a rattle in her lungs. Edwin, by default, became the one who took care of everything around the house, as George also seemed to be backsliding. He decided, wrongly, Edwin thought, to take a vacation the same week as the anniversary. Edwin thought that his father should keep working, as it would keep his mind off of things, at least for a little while. Having this much time on his hands couldn't be a good thing for him, it only gave him more opportunity to brood and sink into memories that brought nothing but sadness.

This morning, Edwin was in the kitchen, puttering around and cleaning a bit, when his father appeared from downstairs, his hair a mess, wearing nothing but boxers. "Morning, Dad." He said, trying to be cheerful.

George looked at him sadly. "Morning, Ed." He grabbed a cup of coffee and plopped down on a stool.

"Hey, here's a one-time offer: How about I make you pancakes?" Edwin asked.

George's eyebrows rose. "Seriously? I didn't know you knew how to make pancakes."

Edwin laughed. "Well, there's a first time for everything, pops. So how about it?"

George shrugged. "Sure, why not? I'm a risk-taker." He said, smiling a bit.

"Great! I'll get started." Edwin said, crouching down to get the skillet he would need.

George smiled, amused by his son's enthusiasm. At least someone was happy, he thought wistfully.

After enjoying Edwin's attempt at pancakes, George sat alone in his room, going through the few keepsakes that he didn't pack away. An old sweater of Nora's – one of her favorites, a picture of George and Nora, taken shortly after they were married, and Nora's wedding ring, which George wanted to keep for Casey or Lizzie. Holding back tears, he put the items back and crawled under the covers, willing the day to pass without him.

* * *

Casey was mindlessly flipping the channels on the TV when Edwin entered the room and sat next to her. "Hey." He said.

She cast a quick glance at him before returning her attention to the screen. "Hey." She could feel his eyes on her.

"What's up?" He asked cautiously, not knowing what her mood was today. Lately she had been a powder keg – one minute happy, the next enraged. Edwin had spent the last few days walking on egg shells.

"Does it look like anything's up?" Casey said irritably.

Edwin rolled his eyes, getting fed up with her attitude. "Case, you don't have to bite my head off. I'm just trying to make conversation here." He replied shortly.

Casey whipped her head around to glare at him. "Well, why don't you go make conversation somewhere else?"

That did it. He stood up and put his hands on his hips, stepping between her and the TV. "You know, Case, I've had it with you and your up-and-down moods. The atmosphere in this house is horrible and it's all because of you!" He noticed Casey was looking at him with something akin to shock on her face and added, "Now I know it's been a sucky year, but that's no excuse to treat your family like shit. This family is falling apart! You think I don't see that? You and dad are acting all freaky, Derek is MIA, Lizzie likes living in the states better than here, and Marti's gone, too! For god's sake, Case, stop using Nora's death as an excuse to slowly kill yourself!" Casey opened her mouth to retort and Edwin held up his hand. "No, Case, have you looked at yourself in the mirror lately? You look like hell! You've lost a ton of weight, your eyes are bloodshot, your hair is dull and you smoke like a chimney! I'm worried about you, sis. You need to take better care of yourself, because this family needs you." He ended, blowing out a deep breath.

Casey sat there, her hands in her lap, looking up at Edwin with a sorrowful look on her face. She knew what everything Edwin said was true. But it didn't make it hurt any less. However, instead of admitting anything, she decided to lash out. "You're way out of line, Edwin. Are _you_ the one who lost their mother? No. Do you know how hard it is to run a household, plus take care of you and George _and_ work part-time? Well, let me tell you, it's no picnic. So, just butt the hell out of my life, OK? It's none of your business." With that, she rose and moved around Edwin, storming up the stairs and slamming her door.

Edwin stood there for awhile, digesting everything that Casey said. He still thought that she was using her mother's death as a rationalization for her bad choices, but knew that she would have to make up her own mind to change her life for the better.

He just hoped she did it before any permanent damage was done.

**Review please!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

**Chapter Ten**

_A month later:_ "Thanks babe. That was great." Said Mike, the new busboy, as he zipped up his pants. He winked and went back inside the pub.

Casey wiped her lips and got off her knees, which were sore from being on the cement. She spit on the ground, trying to get the bitter taste out of her mouth. Lighting a cigarette and inhaling deeply, her mind wandered again to Derek. She missed him horribly, but had given up trying to get him to talk to her. She wondered how he was doing and hoped that he would forgive her and George soon. 'But how can I expect him to forgive us when we keep screwing up?' They weren't doing a good job staying away from each other, she thought, remembering New Year's Eve. Casey flicked her cigarette to the ground and straightened up, preparing to go back inside. Oh well, all they could do was keep trying, she thought, before going back to work.

* * *

"I'm sorry, he's not here right now, but I'll tell him you called, OK?" the remorseful voice of Derek's roommate said in George's ear. George was growing despondent. It had been almost two months since he had seen or spoken to his son, and it was wearing on everyone, especially Casey. George was seriously worried about her, as she wasn't eating right and was either working or out doing god-knows-what. That cough of hers was as bad as ever, and George often heard her coughing up stuff and spitting it out in the sink. They had been successful at staying away from each other, neither one bringing up the incident on New Year's. George knew that Casey was sleeping with other men, he wasn't stupid. She often came home with hickeys on her neck and chest, and Edwin had complained to him that Casey was keeping him awake with the guys she had been sneaking into her room. It made him sick to his stomach to think about it, yet he did nothing. Perhaps because he was so guilty himself. He had been trying to drown his sorrows in sex with Casey, and she was doing the same thing – with anyone who was willing.

He thought about all this as he was scrubbing himself in the shower. The sound of the door opening startled him and he called out. "Hello? Who's there?" He heard nothing, and was just deciding that he was hearing things when the curtain moved aside and Casey stepped in, naked. She grinned and drew the curtain closed behind her.

George's eyes widened. "Casey, what are you doing?" He said, trying not to glance down at her body. Because, even though she had lost a lot of weight, she was still a very beautiful girl.

"I needed to take a shower, and I thought I would be a good citizen and take one with you, thereby saving water and helping the planet." Casey said with a smile on her face. It didn't reach her eyes, however.

This was the Casey that made him sad. The outwardly cheery girl who was so obviously miserable. "Case, this isn't a good idea. Can you get out please?" He had never outright asked her to leave, but he was doing it now. 'Better late than never', he thought.

Instead of following his orders, Casey smirked and moved forward, grasping his dick in her hand. "Really, cuz I could swear that you want me to stay." She said, her eyes flicking down to his crotch.

Feeling his face get warm, George steeled himself. "Casey, stop it, please. This is wrong."

Casey ignored him, and instead started jerking him off with her hand. "Just let me make you feel good, baby." She said, turning him around and coming up behind him, her hand still fisting his cock.

He took a deep breath and tried not to fall off the cliff. He had to keep his wits about him. George put his hand over hers on his dick and pried it off of him. "Casey, I said stop." He said sharply. He turned around and grabbed her by the shoulders, trying to make her understand. "I know I gave in on New Year's, but it shouldn't have happened. We cannot do this anymore, do you understand?" He asked, looking deep in her eyes.

Casey stared at him with an expression of confusion on her face. The words that were coming out of his mouth were not registering in her mind. She was so used to men just taking what she offered that anyone who didn't take her up on it confounded her. "I . . . I don't understand, George. Did I do something wrong?" She asked, sounding like a little girl.

George could have cried right there, and it was then that he truly realized how messed up Casey had become. 'God help me,' he thought to himself. "Casey, we need to have a serious talk, but first, I want to do something for you. Can I do that?" He asked her slowly.

She nodded mutely.

He smiled and reached out, bringing her to stand underneath the spray. Making sure her hair was fully saturated with water, he grabbed the shampoo and squirted a generous amount in his palm. He lathered the shampoo in Casey's hair, massaging her head and scrubbing, making sure that all of her hair was getting clean. When he was done, he rinsed and repeated the process, this time with the conditioner. Finished with her hair, he grabbed the soap and a washcloth and washed her body gently, taking care to get every inch clean. During all this, Casey stood silently, her eyes closed, enjoying the sensation of being pampered. After he was done, George quickly finished washing himself and turned off the water, getting out and grabbing two oversized towels. He fastened one around his waist and wrapped the other one around Casey. He lead her into the bedroom and sat her down on the bed, where he proceeded to towel-dry her hair, then comb it out for her. He patted her skin dry with the towel, then grabbed some boxers and threw them on before heading upstairs to her room to grab some clothes for her. When he returned, he dressed her and brought her to the kitchen, where he made her a sandwich and poured her a glass of milk.

At first, she didn't want to eat, but George was insistent and after awhile, she got tired of arguing about it. Casey slowly ate the sandwich and drank the milk, while George watched from across the island with a smile on his face. He thought she was starting to look better already. Right then and there he knew that it was time to start acting like her dad again, instead of a sex-crazed man. She needed someone to look after her, and he was going to be the one to do it – the right way.

When she was finished eating, he led her back to his bedroom to talk. He didn't dare tell her what he wanted to tell her in the living room – Edwin could walk in at any moment, and he couldn't risk that. Now, she was sitting on the edge of his bed, waiting patiently for him to tell her what was on his mind. George was standing in front of her, pacing back and forth, not knowing where to start. He decided to just jump right in and deal with the effects later. "Casey, I told you that we can't do this anymore, and I mean it. Not because of anything you did, not because you're unattractive, not even because I don't want you anymore, because I do, but I finally realized that I've done a horrible thing . . . lots of horrible things, actually. See, I've taken advantage of a young woman who lost her mother, and I haven't been truthful about something I found out that concerns you, because, well, I was afraid. And I realize that it was the wrong thing to do. But the biggest reason why we can't do this anymore is that I can't continue to sleep with the woman that my son is in love with." George finished in a rush, his eyes on Casey.

She sat there listening, her face a mask – until he got to the last part, when her eyes widened and her mouth fell open. "What did you say?" she asked, her voice a whisper.

George closed his eyes and blew out a breath. "I said, I can't continue to have sex with the woman that my son is in love with." He said, slower this time.

Casey's face screwed up in confusion. "Edwin's in love with me?"

George nearly laughed at that. "Casey, no. Not Edwin. Derek. Derek's in love with you." As soon as he said it, he felt a massive weight lift off him. He almost sighed in relief.

Casey sat there for a moment looking at George. She was so still that she almost looked like a statue, but for the blink of her eyes. She finally snapped out of it. "You've got to be kidding me. Is this some kind of excuse because you don't want to fuck me anymore?" She asked him angrily.

He shook his head. "No, Case. It's the God's honest truth. I heard it from his own lips . . . well, he didn't exactly _say_ the words, but when I accused him of being in love with you, he didn't deny it . . . well, he did, but I knew he was lying." George was babbling, but he just couldn't figure out a better way to come clean at the moment.

Casey shook her head, trying to clear it. "I don't believe it, and I don't believe _you_." She said, getting up from the bed. "Listen, I get it, George, we're through. And it's OK, I understand: No more fooling around. But you don't have to make up stories to get out of it. That's just mean." She said, before turning to leave his room.

"Casey, wait!" George called after her. "If you don't believe me, than I suggest you ask him yourself. I think it's way past time for the two of you to start talking again, don't you?"

She stopped in her tracks and turned around. "Derek hates me George, and he hates you. What makes you think he would talk to either one of us?"

George shrugged helplessly. "I don't know, but it's worth a try, don't you think?" He asked, his eyes imploring her to believe him.

Casey snorted. "Oh yeah, I can see it now. I go to Toronto to confront him about him being madly in love with me, he laughs in my face, and I drive home dejected. Yeah, that sounds like fun."

"Well, maybe you should just try talking to him about something else first, at least get a dialogue going. We need to get this family back together again." George said solemnly.

Casey agreed with that and nodded her head before leaving his room to go upstairs and think.

_A few days later:_ "Derek, it's your dad. I know you're still pissed as hell at me, but I needed to tell you: I told Casey everything, meaning she knows about your feelings for her. She didn't believe me, of course, but I told her that we couldn't be together anymore because of the way you feel about her. Derek, you need to talk to her. She's in a bad state. She isn't eating right – she's lost a bunch of weight, she smokes too much, which has given her a nasty cough, and well, she's just not taking care of herself. Please, Derek, can we try and be a family again?" George pleaded, his voice desperate. He sighed and said nothing else before ending the call.

* * *

"I must be crazy," Casey said to herself on the way to Toronto. She had spent the last few days thinking about what George said, and as much as she didn't want to believe it, it all made sense. Derek's reaction to her and George, his extreme anger at his father, everything fit into place. But she needed to hear it from him, she needed to look into his eyes to determine if it was true or not. Casey still didn't know how to feel about everything – all she knew was that she missed having Derek in her life. Granted, before Nora's death, they didn't spend much time together because of school, but they at least spoke by phone and emailed one another. Right now, there was nothing – and Casey didn't want that anymore.

She pulled up in front of Derek's building and quickly got out, before losing her nerve and heading back home. She walked purposefully up to the door and, finding his apartment button, pressed it hard. Casey waited for a minute before pressing it again. Still nothing. She knew that he was home because she was looking at his car, which was parked in the carport adjacent to the building.

Casey decided to try what she had seen other people do when they wanted to get in a secure building, which was press all the buttons until someone randomly buzzed her in. She started at the top and worked her way down, pressing, pressing, pressing, until she heard the door in front of her buzz open. "Yes!" She said, jumping up before snagging the door and walking in. She made her way to his unit and knocked on the door, twisting her fingers nervously. She was sweating, she was so nervous.

She knocked again and heard a voice yell, "Just a minute!" Casey's eyes widened when she realized the voice was too high – and too female – to be Derek's.

Just then, the door opened, revealing a short girl with spiky, multicolored hair standing there. She wore a black tank top and camo shorts, and looked like she just woke up. "Hello. May I help you?" She asked, scratching her hip.

Casey stood there, not knowing what to say. When the girl raised her eyebrow, waiting, Casey snapped out of it. "Um, yeah. I was looking for Derek Venturi. Is this his apartment?"

The girl nodded and waved Casey in. "Yeah, come on in. I'm sorry, were you the one buzzing the apartment? I thought I might be dreaming." She said laughing. "Oh, I'm Gwen, by the way. And you are?"

Casey stared at her. 'Gwen, Gwen,' She searched her mind to see if she had heard the name before. She thought she had. "I'm Casey, Derek's stepsister?"

At that, Gwen's eyes widened, which wasn't lost on Casey. "Casey! Of course! I'm sorry, I didn't recognize you! Have you lost weight?" She asked, her eyes running over Casey's figure.

Casey nodded. "Yeah, a little." She paused, shifting her feet. "So, is he here?" She was getting impatient, and although Gwen seemed like a perfectly nice person, Casey didn't come here to speak to _her_.

Gwen started. "Oh, yeah, sorry. I'm still waking up. What time is it, anyway?" She said, looking around for the clock.

Lifting her wrist, Casey glanced at her watch. "It's uh, 11:30 p.m." She said, just now realizing how late it was to be popping in on them.

"Oh, so I'm not lazy, you're just late." Gwen remarked. Casey thought she was mad until she saw Gwen smirking at her. Casey smiled back, feeling like an idiot.

"Just a sec, OK?" Gwen said before heading down the hallway.

Casey nodded and waited, her eyes roaming the apartment. She found nothing that stood out, until her eyes came across a family picture. _Their_ family picture. Obviously done before Nora's death, it was the last formal picture they had taken. Everyone had big smiles on their faces – real ones – not the fake "I-hate-this-family-and-I'm-only-doing-this-cuz-they-made-me" smiles. Casey choked back a sob and put the photo back down. She thought she heard voices coming from the other room and strained to hear what was being said.

"Derek, now is your chance! She's right here! If this isn't a sign, I don't know what is!" Gwen was pleading with Derek for him to go out there. He, however, was having none of it.

"Gwen, stop! I'm not ready to see her yet. I still can't get the thought of her and my dad out of my head! If I look at her, that's all I'll be thinking about." Derek said, running a hand through his hair.

Gwen sighed dramatically. "You are so stubborn! Do you love this girl or not? She drove here to see you! You have to speak to her!" She yanked on his arm and dragged him off the bed. "Come on, go, before I drag you out there by your ear!"

He looked at her, amused. "Yeah, like a little thing such as yourself could drag a manly guy like me around." He was laughing when he felt her grab his ear hard and start tugging.

"Come on, let's go." Gwen said sternly.

"Ow, ow, ow," Derek said, following behind.

Casey turned when she heard them approaching. Gwen had Derek by the ear, but let go when she noticed Casey watching them. She smiled and quickly turned to go back into what Casey assumed was the bedroom, shutting the door.

Derek continued the rest of the way, his eyes looking everywhere but at her. She awaited him, her stomach doing somersaults. She could feel her knees shaking. "Hi, Derek." She said softly.

He stopped a few feet away and raised his eyes to look at her. He was taken aback by her appearance. She had definitely lost weight – her cheekbones jutted out of her face, and Derek could see the outline of her collarbones under her skin. "Casey." He said, nodding in acknowledgement.

Neither said anything for a moment, and Casey was starting to have second thoughts when she heard Derek's voice say, "So what are you doing here?"

"Well, um, can I sit?" Casey asked, her legs feeling like rubber.

Derek nodded and sat himself in the recliner opposite the couch. Casey followed and took a seat on the edge of the sofa. "I was wondering how you were, and wanted to see you." She said awkwardly, her eyes darting from his face to the floor.

He stared at her, saying nothing. He had not yet heard the message George had left him, so he had no idea what she was doing there or that she knew about his feelings for her. "I'm fine, Case, and yourself?" He asked, somewhat sarcastically.

"I'm OK." Casey answered. "But I would be better if we were on speaking terms."

"We're talking now, aren't we?" Derek replied, trying not to sneer.

"Well, yes, but you know what I mean. Derek, we need to make things right, for everyone. We need to be a family again." Casey said, a note of pleading in her voice.

Derek tried not to let it get to him. If she thought she could win him over by driving all the way here and batting her eyes at him, she had another thing coming. "Casey, I'm sorry, but I can't assuage your guilt by saying, 'OK, it's all better.' You made your bed, so to speak, now you have to lie in it." Derek stood and headed to the fridge, where he grabbed a soda. "Do you want something?" He asked her, noticing the way her eyes looked longingly at his drink.

"Yes, that would be great." Casey said gratefully.

He nodded and grabbed another can, bringing it into the living room and handing it to her. She popped it open and took a giant swig before swallowing and saying "Thank you."

Derek waved his hand in dismissal and sat back down. "Casey, look, I know this can't go on forever, but it's going to take me awhile to get used to the fact that you and my father are . . . together." He said, having trouble getting the word out. "Just give me some time, OK?"

Casey felt her eyes go wide. "What . . .? What are you talking about? George and I are _not_ together. I told you that before, and I'm saying it again. _Derek_. It was a mistake, and we've ended it. For good this time." She said forcefully.

Derek looked at her closely, trying to gauge if she was lying or not. He honestly couldn't tell anymore. "Well, if it's true, I would have to say that I think it's the best thing for everyone, but I don't know if I believe you." He said, his eyes pinning hers.

Casey stood up and moved in front of him. Kneeling down, she took both his hands in hers and returned his gaze. "Derek. If you ever knew me at all, if we ever had a friendship, you have to believe when I say that it is over with your father and me. I admit it was a horrible mistake and I've apologized for that over and over again. Please, Derek, please believe me." She gripped his hands hard and hoped he would take her at her word.

Derek stared at her, the words she said permeating his mind. He wanted to believe her, but all he kept hearing were the sounds of their lovemaking in his head. He didn't know if he could ever forget that. "Casey," he said, removing his hands from her grip. "Thank you for driving all the way here to tell me that. But I need some time. Please give me time."

Casey rose from her knees and straightened her clothes. She stared down at him and couldn't take it anymore. She had to know the truth. "Is the reason you're having such a hard time with this because you're in love with me?"

**Review please!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

**Note:** Only a few more chapters to go! Thanks to all who have stuck with the story. I really appreciate it.

**Chapter Eleven**

_**Previously**__: __Derek stared at her, the words she spoke permeating his mind. He wanted to believe her, but all he kept hearing were the sounds of Casey and George's lovemaking in his head. He didn't know if he could ever forget that. "Casey," he said, removing his hands from her grip. "Thank you for driving all the way here to tell me that. But I need some time. Please give me time."_

_Casey rose from her knees and straightened her clothes. She stared down at him and couldn't take it anymore. She had to know the truth. "Is the reason you're having such a hard time with this because you're in love with me?"_

Derek's eyes widened and his face went white. "You said what now?" He said quickly trying to cover himself.

Casey steeled herself and said it again. "George said you're in love with me. Is that true?" She asked peering deeply into his eyes, trying to figure out what was going on in that head of his.

He quickly stood and turned away from her, not able to lie to her face. 'At least on this subject.' He thought wryly. "Oh, he did, did he? Well, as usual, he's got it all wrong. He accused me of it, but I never _said_ that." It sounded lame, even to his own ears.

Casey thought that too, and walked forward, stopping a few feet behind him. "But you didn't deny it, either, did you?" She asked softly.

Derek took a deep breath and tried to remain calm. This was dangerous territory for him. The thought of Casey finding out his true feelings for her scared the shit out of him. He thought if she knew that it would be the end of life as he knew it, and although it might mean they could finally be together, he didn't know how to deal with that right now. Derek let out the breath that he had been holding and turned around, only to flinch at how close she was to him. "Look, I know I wasn't very happy when I found out about you and my dad, but that doesn't mean that I have anything other than brotherly feelings for you. I'm sorry, Case."

Casey looked at him for a moment, trying to decide if he was telling the truth. Then she whirled and started exploring the room. "So, is Gwen your girlfriend?" Casey asked, running her finger along an end table and checking it for dust.

Derek watched her, his face pensive. "No. She's my best friend."

Casey didn't look at him, but he saw her nod in acknowledgement. "Does she live here?" Another piece of furniture, this time the bookcase, and another test for dust.

"No, she just stays here a lot. She lives with three very loud roommates, and she likes the peace and quiet here, at least when _my_ roommates aren't around." Derek answered, his eyes following her every move.

"Uh huh. And have you slept with her?" Casey asked nonchalantly as she straightened a picture that had shifted on the wall.

Derek's heart jumped in his throat but he swallowed it down. "Yes." He answered, trying to keep his voice calm.

Casey's head snapped toward him and she looked taken aback by his honesty. A moment later, her face shuttered and the blank mask returned. "I see. Have you found another job yet?"

"God, Case. What's with the 20 questions? I feel like I'm on trial here." Derek said, exasperated.

"I'm only trying to reacquaint myself with my brother. You know, since we haven't talked in a while. I figure why waste a trip here if we don't at least catch up, don't you agree?" Casey asked, finishing her inspection and sitting back down.

Derek sighed and followed, sitting himself down in his previous spot. "Sure. That would be swell. So, Casey, how's your job going?" He asked snarkily, folding his hands in his lap.

"My job is great, thanks for asking. Business is picking up again and I'm making some pretty good money – when I'm working. I'm thinking of going full-time." She said, picking at her skirt. 'Why did I even bother to dress up for him? What was I thinking would possibly happen?'

"Full-time? Why don't you go back to school? You know, move back to NY?" Derek asked, genuinely interested.

"Trying to get rid of me Derek?" She asked sarcastically.

He rolled his eyes. "No, but it's been almost a year since you left school, Case. I think you should finish, don't you?" Derek asked, searching her face.

A sigh from her and then, "Yes, I know how long it's been, Derek, and I plan on going back, I do. It's just . . ."

"What, Case? Just what?" He prodded.

Casey blew out a breath and couldn't think of anything to say. Because, really, there was no good reason why she couldn't pack up and head back to NYU tomorrow. She just didn't want to. "Honestly, Derek, I don't know. Ever since my mom died, I just . . . it's like I lost all my drive. It's like nothing matters anymore, cuz who knows? You work your butt off for something and then one day, 'POOF!' it's all gone. It just seems so useless." She said, shifting her eyes away from him and taking a sip of her soda.

Derek felt a rush of sympathy for her and before he knew it, he was rising out of the recliner and sitting down next to Casey on the sofa. Wrapping an arm around her, he said, "Casey, that's life. We never know what's going to happen from day to day. I could get hit by a bus tomorrow, you just don't know. But if everyone had the attitude you have, we would all be curled up in the fetal position afraid to leave our homes. It just can't be that way. We need to keep going, or else we might as well shoot ourselves in the head and get it over with."

Casey nodded and felt tears coming to her eyes. She didn't want to cry in front of him, but it was too much – the fact that they were here together, having a conversation after so many months apart, that he was holding her and giving her advice like the old days, and of course, everything that she had done since her mother died – it all served to be a heavy burden on her. Her tears tumbled over her lashes and made their way down her cheeks. Casey lowered her head to try to hide them, but it was too late – Derek had seen them, and although tears still made him uncomfortable, he thought back to a few days earlier when he sobbed in Gwen's arms. Afterward, he had never felt lighter in his life. "Come here." He said, reaching his other arm around her and bringing her closer to him.

They sat there awhile, just holding each other, neither one saying anything. From the bedroom, Gwen cracked open the door and peeked out, witnessing the stepsiblings together, which caused a big smile on her face. She knew that Derek and Casey were meant to be together, but she also knew that there were big obstacles to be overcome if that were to happen. Personally, she was keeping her fingers crossed for a happy ending. Gwen smiled and closed the door.

For the first time in a very long time, Casey felt good being in a man's arms. She felt . . . secure. When she was with anyone else, she wasn't alone, but she still felt empty. So she tried and tried with many different men to fill the emptiness, which in turn, would cause more emptiness. It was a vicious cycle. "Derek, I've missed you so much. Do you forgive me? _Please_ say you forgive me." She begged, not caring about her dignity at the moment. All she wanted was for things to be good again, for them to laugh and hang out and joke with each other.

Having her in his arms felt better than he ever imagined. Of course, he had hugged her before, but since he finally admitted to himself how he _really_ felt about her, the dynamics changed dramatically. Everything was different. He knew that he still had a lot to work through, but he couldn't deny her. "I forgive you, Case, I forgive you." He answered, smoothing her hair with his hand.

Startled, Casey jumped back, looking at him to see if he was playing with her. "Really? Derek, are you serious? Cuz I've been wanting for such a long time to just move on from this, but . . . if you're playing a trick on me, so help me, I don't know what I'll do . . ." She said, working herself into a lather.

Derek put up his hand to stop her. "Case. I'm not playing. I forgive you, OK? If I was in your position, I honestly don't know how I would react. But tell me the truth: Are you 100 percent, totally through with my dad?" He asked, her shoulders grasped in his hands.

Casey smiled and nodded 'yes', before moving forward and throwing her arms around him. "We're done, Derek. No more, I mean it." She said in his ear, making the hair on the back of his neck stand up.

He smiled over her shoulder and squeezed her tighter. 'Maybe things are looking up after all,' he thought before he felt Casey move back and look deeply into his eyes. They sat there for a moment, staring at each other before she moved forward again, her eyes on his lips. 'Warning! Warning!' His brain yelled at him, but he did nothing to stop her, continuing to stare into her eyes as she got closer and closer to him. Her hands moved from his arms to his face, cupping both cheeks and caressing his skin with her thumbs. Derek had to admit that it felt really good to be touched like that by her. So many times he had dreamed about them together, and now it was happening, and he felt himself being carried away by the torrent of feelings that he had held so deeply in check. When her lips touched his, he swore he stopped breathing. His eyes automatically closed and he could have died a happy man right then and there.

Casey's hands moved from his face to behind his head, tangling themselves in his hair and pressing their lips tighter together. It felt like heaven to him and he marveled at the softness of her lips against his own. His hands moved of their own accord, mapping their way down her back before clenching his fists in her shirt. If he didn't break from her soon, he would die from lack of oxygen. He was willing to risk it.

She must have had the same thoughts, because just then she broke their kiss and moved back, breathing hard. Her eyes were wide and glassy, and her lips were swollen, attesting to the fierceness of their kiss. Casey and Derek stared at each other in awe, as if seeing one another for the first time. Casey's heart did a flip and she could literally feel the blood rushing through her veins. 'I'm alive. And for the first time in a long time, I'm glad!' she marveled to herself, a real smile developing on her face.

Derek took all this in, seeing the smile split her face, making her even more beautiful. He, too, could feel his heart pounding erratically. His head was spinning and he felt like he couldn't catch his breath. And while it felt wonderful, there was also a part of him that viewed these feelings as losing control. And Derek hated to lose control. His mind started shutting down and he fought the urge to jump up and run. He did, however, want to take a breath and step back for a bit. "Casey, I, I think you should go." He said, getting up from the sofa and rubbing his neck.

Casey's smile disappeared and she looked confused. "What? Why?"

"I need time to digest all of this. And I can't do it if you're here." He said, trying to sound reasonable, and not like he was kicking her out, which essentially, he was.

Casey stood up abruptly and got in his face. "What the hell is your problem, Derek? First you hate me, then you kiss me, and now you're kicking me out? I don't get you at all." She said, collecting her purse and heading for the door. "And you know what? I don't care to. Not anymore. Goodbye, Derek. Have a nice fucking life." She said, slamming the door shut behind her.

Derek stood there, looking at the door, his mind in a jumble. "What did I just do?" He said to himself.

"Beats the hell out of me." Came Gwen's voice from the hallway, where she was standing with her hands on her hips and an angry look on her face. "What the fuck did you do that for? Things were going so well, oh, except for the part where you told her that you aren't in love with her – even though we both know that you are – and oh yeah, the part where you kicked her out after kissing her. Do you even know what the hell you want?" she asked frustrated.

Derek threw his hands up in the air and shrugged. "I'm guessing I'm gonna say 'No' on that one." He answered helplessly. "All I wanted was to tell her that things were moving too fast. I didn't mean to hurt her."

"And how's that working out for ya?" Gwen asked snarkily.

"Oh shut it, Gwennie. I know I fucked up – again – but what can I do about it now?" He asked her, his eyes pleading for her to make it all better.

Gwen sighed and entered the living room, plopping down on the sofa in front of him before getting right back up and into his face. "Geez, Derek, didn't you look at her? I mean, _really_ look at her? The girl is hurting, Derek. I don't even know her and I could see that. And she came here for you. To get some affirmation that you care about her. And what do you do? You tear her heart out and stomp all over it. Nice one, Derek, real nice." She said disgustedly. "And now I know why _we_ could never work. You're just too stupid sometimes."

Derek's eyes widened upon hearing those words. Gwen had never talked to him like that before. It hurt. "So what do I do?" He asked softly.

"You get in your car and go after her, you dillweed! It's time you let your guard down and go out on a limb. I don't think you'll be disappointed. Derek, that girl's got feelings for you. I don't know the depth of them, but they're there. It's time you explore that and see what happens. It could be something great." She ended softly, her eyes on his.

He nodded and went to the door, slipping on his shoes and grabbing his keys. "God, she could be anywhere by now. How do I know where to look?"

Gwen shrugged. "Beats me. You know her better than I do. Just think like her." She paused and lowering her voice, added, "Just follow your heart, Derek."

Derek nodded and opened the door, nodding his head to her before closing it behind him.

After he left, Gwen sighed and plopped back down on the couch. Dealing with emotionally stunted people always exhausted her.

**Review please!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

**Note:** This chapter contains non-consensual sexual contact.

**Chapter Twelve**

Casey was in her car, but she wasn't really paying attention to where she was going. All she could see was red, and Derek was right in the middle of it. "Fuck him. I knew I shouldn't have listened to George." Casey said angrily to herself. She grabbed her cigarettes and shook one out of the pack, sticking it in her mouth and pressing in the car lighter. Minutes later, it popped out and she grabbed it, lighting the cigarette and taking a deep pull from it. She felt the smoke enter her lungs and immediately calmed. She glanced at the clock in her car. It was 12:34 a.m., and she didn't feel like driving all the way home tonight. Grabbing her phone she dialed a friend-of-hers number who lived in the area. "Hey. It's Casey. Yeah, I'm good. Hey, I'm in town, and I was wondering if I could crash there tonight. I know it's last minute, but do you think . . .?" Pause. "Really? Thanks so much. Yeah, I'm gonna stop somewhere first and then I'll be there. OK, see you soon. Bye." She snapped her phone shut and continued to drive, looking for a place to stop and unwind. She was much too hyper to head to her friend's house and sleep. She passed a club and slowed, looking it over. There was a line to get in, and it looked like her kind of place. She popped a U-turn and pulled into a parking space across the street, surprised that there was even one available. Looking in her rearview mirror, she touched up her make-up and fiddled with her hair. Well, it would have to do. Her eyes ran down her body, taking in the fitted red shirt and short white skirt she wore. Where earlier she was cursing herself for dressing up, now she was glad she did.

Casey exited her car and ran across the street, dodging the heavy traffic in downtown Toronto. Even on a late night during the week, traffic was still heavy. She assessed the situation with the line and caught the bouncer's eye, motioning her head to the side of the building. He smiled and caught her meaning, excusing himself to the other bouncer and nonchalantly making his way through the crowd. Casey smiled and also made her way around the building and away from the crowd. When they met, she smiled flirtily and asked, "What do I have to do to get in?"

The guy smiled and reached his hand out, snaking arm around her waist. "Well, I'm sure we can come up with something." He said, his eyes devouring her.

Derek drove aimlessly, not having any idea where Casey could be. For all he knew, she had gotten in her car and immediately driven back to London. But for some reason, he didn't think that was the case. He kept trying her cell but she was answering. A car honked at him and he jumped, whipping his head around in time to notice the guy in the car next to him giving Derek the finger. Derek scowled and returned the gesture. "Damn city drivers," he muttered to himself.

After giving the guy a hand job, Casey was granted admission and walked in, drawing dirty looks from everyone else who was still waiting to get in. She smiled and tossed her hair, purposely putting an extra shake in her hips as she moved up the stairs and into the building. With a wink to the bouncer, Casey went in.

You would think that a girl like Casey would be nervous going to a nightclub alone in a big city. But Casey had no such fear. As far as she was concerned, she had seen every evil there was when her mom was taken from her. Nothing scared her anymore. There was also the fact of her not really caring if she lived or died. Especially after what had happened tonight with Derek. "Fucking men. I hate them all."

"You do? Well, that's a shame." A voice said in her ear. Casey turned to see who was speaking to her and came face to face with a drop-dead gorgeous man. Tall, chiseled, dimples, straight white teeth, green eyes . . . Casey's mouth almost started watering, he was so delicious.

Casey immediately turned red and tried to backtrack. "Yeah, well, mostly I do. I'm sure there are a few good ones out there." She said, twirling her finger in her hair.

He smiled and introduced himself. "I'm Troy. And you are . . .?"

Casey forgot her name for a moment. "Oh, I'm uh, I'm Casey." She said, sticking out her hand.

He shook it and ran his eyes over her body deliberately, making her shiver. "Can I buy you a drink?"

Casey's head moved automatically, nodding. "Sure. That sounds great."

Troy smiled and signaled the bartender. "What will you have?" He asked her, his breath tickling her ear.

"Um, how about you surprise me." She said before thinking.

Troy's eyes crinkled in mischief and he smiled. "OK. I'll take you up on that offer." He turned and spoke to the waiter, Casey not catching what was said. All she could do was stare at him, her eyes drinking in his body. He was like a Greek god, something you see on the pages of GQ.

The bartender handed him a drink, which he in turn gave to her. "Enjoy." He said, before paying the bartender and lifting his own drink. "A toast," he said, "To new friends."

"To new friends," Casey agreed, clinking her glass with his. Their eyes locked and they drank.

Derek was getting more and more frustrated. He decided to bite the bullet and call his father. He found George in his phone and pressed the button, listening to it ring and getting more and more agitated. "Hello?" George's groggy voice came over the line.

Derek said nothing for a moment, suddenly feeling uncertain. But his feelings of worry for Casey overwhelmed that and finally, he spoke. "Dad. It's Derek."

"Derek?" George was wide awake now. "Is everything OK?" He asked, his glance going to the bedside clock.

"I'm fine. It's Casey. She came to see me tonight, and well, things ended badly. She stormed out and now I'm trying to find her. I need you to tell me if she's there or not." Derek said, trying not to sound desperate.

"Just a minute, I'll check." George said before putting down the phone. Derek waited, continuing to drive around – in circles, it felt like – until George came back on the line. "She's not here, Derek. But I'll keep an ear out for her, OK? Do you want me to call you when she gets in?"

Derek sighed, feeling worse than ever. "Yes, please."

"So, you got my message about her, then." George said in his ear.

"What message?" Derek said, confused.

"You didn't get the message I left for you?" George said, sounding incredulous. "I called your cell a few days ago. I wanted to give you a heads up that I had told Casey about your feelings for her."

"Oh yeah, she mentioned that tonight. By the way, thanks, Dad." Derek said snidely.

Ignoring him, George asked, "How did she look?"

Derek furrowed his brow. "What do you mean, how did she look? She looked fine. I mean, she was a little skinny, but other than that . . ."

George cut him off. "Derek, Casey's in a very bad place right now. Very fragile. She isn't eating, she's smoking way too much, and well, she's just picked up a lot of bad habits lately." He finished lamely, not wanting to tell Derek about all the men.

"Yeah, I know about at least _one_ of her bad habits." Derek said hatefully.

Again, George ignored him. He wasn't going to fan the flames of Derek's anger by arguing with him over the phone. The most important thing was making sure Casey was OK. "Anyway, we're all very worried about her. I hope you find her." George said, knowing that was almost an impossibility in a city the size of Toronto.

"Yeah, thanks. I'll let you know if I find her." Derek said, before snapping his phone shut.

"Wooooo! Go Casey! Go Casey!" The guys chanted as they watched her dance on the table in their apartment. After partying with Troy and his friends at the club for awhile, Casey had been invited to continue the party at their place. She couldn't say no to gorgeous Troy and his equally gorgeous friends. During the course of the evening she had learned that they were all professional models from the area and were trying to make it big. 'Well that makes sense,' she thought to herself.

The stereo was blasting and Casey continued to shake her hips while dancing to the Black-Eyed Peas. Four guys were gathered around her, their hands in the air as they cheered her on. She twirled and twirled, her hair flying and body moving. "Take it off!" One of the guys yelled and Casey smiled, unbuttoning the top button of her shirt. "More!" Another yelled, and Casey was only too happy to oblige. She continued until her shirt was all the way undone, and then she slipped it off, flinging it into the crowd of guys. They cheered and she smiled, dancing in her bra and skirt.

"Who wants this, huh?" Casey yelled, grabbing her breasts and squeezing them in her hands. "Anyone?"

Troy reached out his arms and Casey moved into them, letting him lift her off the table and wrapping her legs around his waist. There were catcalls and whistles from the others as he walked down the hallway to a bedroom with Casey wrapped around him. The door was ajar, and he kicked it all the way open with his foot before entering and repeating the process, this time kicking it closed. Troy walked them over to the bed and dropped her on it, before lying down on top of her. Casey smiled and looked up at him, once again marveling at how handsome he was. He returned her smile and moved off her, surprising her. "I'll be right back." He said before leaving the room.

Casey nodded and waited for him to return.

Derek was done. He couldn't find Casey anywhere, and his eyes were drooping from lack of sleep. He turned his car around and headed back to the apartment, hoping that Gwen was still there so he could make amends with her. He hated it when they fought.

While waiting for Troy to come back, Casey removed the rest of her clothes. A moment later, the door opened and Troy appeared, holding a box of condoms. "I come bearing gifts," he said, his lip curled in a smile.

Casey laughed and held out her arms, and Troy wasted no time getting undressed and jumping into them.

A half hour later, Casey and Troy had rejoined the party and Casey was a bit . . . unsatisfied, to say the least. For being so gorgeous and built, Troy was, well, _lacking_ in the equipment department. He had tried valiantly to make up for his lack of quantity with quality, but Casey was still wanting. She eventually faked a couple orgasms to get him off her. Regardless, Troy was a great guy and she was having a lot of fun hanging out with him and his gorgeous friends.

Now, though, she was on the prowl, casing the place for another chance at completion. Casey thought she might have a chance with Troy's friend, Jordan, who was currently giving her the eye from his position in the kitchen. She smiled flirtatiously and subtly tilted in her head in the direction of the hallway. He nodded slightly and signaled back that it would be a few minutes. Smiling, Casey made her way through the crowd to the only room which was unoccupied.

Casey entered the room and sat down on the edge of the bed, taking a big swig of her drink. She wasn't nearly drunk enough to be doing this, and wanted to remedy that _now_. She was about to get up for a refill when the door opened and Jordan appeared, carrying two cups. "I thought you might be thirsty." He said, as he reached out to give Casey a cup.

"Aw, thanks Jordan. That's very sweet of you." Casey said, taking a sip of the fresh drink. "Mmmmm, what is this?"

He smiled. "It's my famous drink. Don't ask me what's in it – it's a secret."

Casey shrugged carelessly. "Whatever, it's really good." She took another drink and set the cup down on the dresser. He did the same. "Why don't you come here?" Casey asked softly, holding out her hand.

Jordan acquiesced and took her hand, pulling her into his arms. They started kissing, and if his technique was anything to go by, Casey was in for a treat. They undressed each other and fell onto the bed, hands and mouths wandering.

When Derek got back to the apartment, it was empty. 'Gwen must really be pissed,' he thought to himself morosely. Derek made a mental note to call her tomorrow and fell into bed. Right before dropping off, he remembered something he wanted to do and grabbed his cell phone, pressing the button that would connect him to George.

"Hello?" George answered after only one ring.

"Dad, I didn't find her." Derek said, feeling like a failure.

George sighed through the phone. "I'm sure you tried your best, son. I'm gonna sleep on the couch in case she comes home."

Derek exhaled noisily. "OK. I'm sorry I didn't find her." He said heavily.

"Derek, it's OK. She'll turn up eventually. She always does." George said, trying to make himself believe it.

"Yeah, you're right. Well, I'm gonna try to get some sleep. I have to work tomorrow morning." Derek paused, "Goodnight, Dad."

"Goodnight, Derek." George said softly, feeling that things were finally on the mend between himself and his son. He hung up the phone and smiled before grabbing the afghan off the back of the couch and covering his body, willing himself to try and get some sleep.

Casey lay somewhere between wakefulness and sleep. She turned over and breathed deeply, trying to rouse herself enough to get up. She had to use the bathroom, but her body didn't want to move. Instead, she blindly reached for the covers that had slipped below her breasts and pulled them up, settling back in. Movement on her right startled her out of the abyss and she cracked an eye open. Jordan lay on his back, his eyes closed. Casey's eyes widened as she remembered where she was. She sat up quickly and fumbled for the lights, wanting to check the time. She found the switch for the lamp next to her and flipped it on, squinting as she looked at the watch on her wrist. It read 3:30 a.m. She groaned and lay back, which woke Jordan, who opened his eyes and turned his head to look at her. "Hey." He said, scratching his chest.

"Hey." Casey said awkwardly. She moved off the bed and went to get dressed.

"Where are you going?" Jordan asked, looking confused.

"Uh, I need to get home." Casey answered, stumbling as she tried to pull on her panties.

Swinging his legs off the bed, Jordan stood up and grabbed his boxers, pulling them on. "It's pretty late for you to be driving all the way back to London, isn't it?"

"Yeah, but I should go anyway." Casey said, pulling her shirt over her head.

Jordan said nothing, continuing to pull on his clothes. "Well, why don't you just stay here tonight and drive home first thing in the morning? I mean, you've been drinking. If you leave, I'll worry about you all night." He said, moving forward to take her into his arms. "I'm not ready to say goodbye yet. Why don't you stay and we can hang out some more?"

Casey sighed and moved into his arms, winding her arms around his waist. "I don't know, it feels like I should leave, but I _have_ been drinking . . ." She said, trailing off.

"So you'll stay?" Jordan asked, giving her a puppy-dog look.

"Oh, OK. I'll stay." She said, leaning up to kiss him. He smiled and returned the kiss, his grip on her tightening.

"Come on, I'm starving. You really gave me a workout earlier." He said, wagging his eyebrows.

Casey giggled. "I would have to say the same about you. Lead the way." She said, waving her hand toward the door.

Jordan smirked and grabbed it, leading her out the door.

After scrounging up some nachos and cheese, Casey was feeling full and was in the middle of her second wind. Presently she was dancing in the middle of a group that included Jordan and a few of his friends that had just shown up from another party. While she was dancing, she felt a number of hands on her body, groping her breasts and ass, but she did nothing. She was just enjoying kicking back and forgetting everything for awhile.

A little while later, she was catching her breath on the deck when the slider opened and a guy stepped out. "Oh hey. I didn't know anyone was out here." He said, lighting a cigarette.

"No problem," Casey said, taking a drag off hers.

They sat there for awhile, talking and getting to know each other. "You a friend of Jordan's?" Casey asked him.

"Yeah, I'm Jeff. Who are you?" He asked bluntly, which made Casey chuff in amusement.

"Casey. It's nice to meet you." She said nodding her head in acknowledgement.

"You too." He smiled and finished his cigarette. After a beat, he asked, "So, you wanna fuck?"

Casey choked on her cigarette and had to take a big drink of her cup to compose herself. "Well, not much for romance, I see." She said wryly.

He laughed. "Nah, I just don't believe in wasting time." His eyes flicked down her body. "So how about it?"

Shit, she'd already had two guys tonight, what's the big deal about a third? No one cared anyway. "Sure." She shrugged, stubbing out her butt and getting up. Casey opened the slider and led him through the crowd, catching Jordan's eye along the way. Instead of seeming pissed, he smiled and gave her the "thumbs up" sign. Bewildered, but happy not to have any conflict, she smiled and continued on her way.

Casey was feeling no pain at the moment. In fact, she was feeling positively light-headed as she examined the ceiling. The guy – '_what was his name?'_ – was doing something to her down below, but she almost couldn't feel it. She shifted a bit to get more friction. She reached her hands down and grasped his shoulders, pulling him up to her. "What are you doing down there? I want you up here." She said, grasping his cock and leading it to her center.

The guy – '_Jeff, that's it'_ – smiled and moved back. "Hold on a minute. I need a condom." He said, reaching for the box on the bedside table and grabbing one. He unwrapped it quickly and settled himself overtop of her before thrusting in.

Casey winced a little from the contact, starting to feel sore from all the sexual activity she had had tonight. Resolving to enjoy herself anyway, she pushed aside the pain and wrapped her arms around Jeff, thrusting her hips up to meet his. During this, the door opened and a girl entered. Casey tapped Jeff on the shoulder to get him to stop. "Hey. Someone's in here."

Jeff halted his movements and looked over his shoulder before turning back to Casey. "Oh, that's my girlfriend. I hope you don't mind, but she likes to watch me fuck other girls. It turns her on." He said, moving his lips over Casey's shoulder.

Casey stared at the girl, but then mentally shrugged and ignored her. Afterwards, Jeff got dressed and he and his girlfriend left, leaving Casey there. She was ready to crash, and hoped that she could grab at least a few hours of sleep before driving back home.

Derek was tossing and turning. He had fallen asleep for a little while, but kept waking up every half hour or so. He sighed wistfully and stared at the ceiling. Idly, he wished that Gwen was here. They often shared the same bed, where they would spend a lot of time just talking about life. She always made him feel better. Derek's mind wandered to Casey and his father's message, which he had listened to after George filled him in on it. _"She's in a bad way, Derek. We're all worried about her."_ He turned on his side, punching his pillow in frustration. Casey was definitely going to be the death of him. 'Why couldn't I have fallen in love with someone simpler? Like Gwen, for instance. We fit together so well . . .' But as much as he felt for Gwen, it was nothing compared to the feelings he had for Casey. Derek closed his eyes and willed himself to go back to sleep, visions of Casey's face behind his eyelids.

"Is that her?" A voice whispered in the dark room where Casey lay sleeping.

"Yeah." Came the answer.

"Is she naked?" The first voice asked.

"Um, I think so. I can barely see anything in here." There was rustling of clothing and then the bed dipped next to Casey.

In her state of sleepiness, she turned over. "Wha . . .? Who's there?" She said, rubbing her eyes. Nothing was said, but she knew that someone was there. Casey could hear them breathing. She jumped when she felt a hand on her thigh, moving up to the juncture between her legs. "Jordan?" She asked in the dark.

"No, not Jordan," The unfamiliar voice said in her ear. She felt the bed dip on the other side of her and turned her head in that direction. "Turn the light on. I can't see anything."

"You don't have to see anything. All you have to do is lie there." The voice on her left said.

Casey wracked her brain trying to figure out who it could be. "Troy? Is that you?"

"Just be quiet, babe." The voice said before a hand covered her mouth. Casey moved her head trying to get it off her.

"Mmmm, mmmmm," The sounds from her mouth were muffled from the hand covering it. Casey saw nothing, just felt hands prying her legs apart and the sound of someone tearing open a condom before the feeling of a cock shoving itself inside her made her jump. Her body wasn't ready for it and the pain was palpable, making her groan in the hand over her mouth.

Whoever was on top of her ignored her protests and kept pumping into her, while another pair of hands squeezed her breasts. Casey tried to fight it, but the hands held her fast to the mattress, and after awhile, she stopped fighting, lying there with her eyes closed, waiting for it to stop. A few pumps later, the person on top of her came and pulled out. Casey heard the rustling of clothing. "Dude, you're not leaving, are you? I need your help here." The voice next to her said.

"I'm not leaving, I just wanted to get my clothes on first." The voice said, settling back down on the bed next to her. The hand was no longer on Casey's mouth, but she didn't care to scream, instead just willing it to be over so she could go back to sleep. She had long ago disconnected her mind from her body, and she retreated into herself, imagining a much happier place than where she was currently. The sound of another condom being opened registered in her mind before she felt the invasion of another dick down below. "I see you've decided to just give in and let us have our fun." The voice on her right said, while the body on top of her split her in half.

Casey murmured noncommittally and shifted her face away from the voice, idly counting the minutes before she felt the tremors begin inside her and the body collapse on her. She didn't move, but had the distant urge to push the guy off. He was heavy and sweating on her and she couldn't breathe. Finally, the weight was removed and after they were finished, she heard the door open and close.

A few minutes later, Casey sat up and ran her hands through her hair, feeling very sore and thirsty. She dressed shakily and opened the door, noticing that the party was mostly over, with only a few people left talking at the kitchen table. She only recognized Jordan, who looked up and smiled briefly at her before returning to his conversation. She didn't smile, instead moving to the sink and looking around for a cup. She found one, although it had been used. Not caring, she rinsed it out and ran some water in it, hastily gulping it down. She turned and looked around, trying to determine if any of the guys there were the ones who had taken advantage of her. She couldn't tell. After draining the cup, she headed back into the bedroom to rest, this time locking the door.

**Review please! **


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

**Chapter Thirteen**

Derek awoke out of his restless sleep feeling worse than he did the night before. He had a crick in his neck, and his head was killing him. It was like he had a hangover, and he didn't even drink last night! Sighing, he sat up and rubbed his face, whipping his head up when he remembered exactly what happened the night before. Immediately, he grabbed his phone and dialed his dad, hoping to hear that Casey had come home safe and sound.

Edwin answered the phone, and proceeded to tell Derek that no, Casey wasn't there, and in fact, had stayed out all night. This didn't make Derek feel good at all, in fact, there was a pit in his stomach and it was growing bigger and bigger. Ed put George on the phone. "She's not here, Derek, but I wouldn't worry yet. She's stayed out all night before without calling." George said, trying to remain upbeat.

Derek closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I know, but I shouldn't have left it the way I did."

George said nothing, then spoke. "Well, it's done now. All we can do is wait for her to come home. I've tried her cell and she's not answering. In fact, I'm thinking her phone went dead because it's going directly to voice mail. Either way, I have to head to work, so Edwin will be around when she _does_ come home." George said.

"OK. Well, I'll keep trying her phone, and when she gets there call me, OK?" Derek said.

"Will do, son." George said before hanging up.

* * *

Casey awoke to a banging on the door. "Hey! Who's ever in there, wake up! I have to get some clothes!" An irritated voice yelled through the door. Casey sat up and rubbed her head, feeling like death warmed over. Very nauseous, she dressed quickly and opened the door to reveal a very pissed off guy. "Who are you?" He asked rudely.

She said nothing, instead brushing past him and running for the bathroom, barely making it before emptying the contents of her stomach in the toilet. She continued to throw up until there was nothing left, which seemed like it took forever, but was probably only a few minutes. Afterward, Casey rinsed out her mouth and splashed water on her face. She looked at herself in the mirror, barely recognizing the person who stared back. Swearing, she grabbed her purse and left.

Casey drove home in a daze, barely paying attention to the other drivers around her. An hour later, she pulled into the driveway and dragged herself out of the car, wanting only to take a hot bath and crawl into bed. She opened the front door and walked in to find Edwin sitting on the couch.

He jumped up when he saw her. "Casey! Where have you been? Do you know how worried we've been about you? Dad and Derek have been going nuts, and Derek spent almost all of last night driving around Toronto looking for you!"

Casey stood there, taking in everything that Edwin was saying. 'Derek was looking for me?' She thought in wonder before shutting down again. "Edwin, stop yelling, OK? I've got a giant hangover and all I want to do is go to bed. So if you could excuse me . . ." She said, moving around him to head up the stairs.

Edwin was having none of it. "Casey! Don't you even care that everyone was worried sick about you? Do you even care about anyone besides yourself?" He asked angrily.

She was halfway up the stairs when she stopped and turned around. "Edwin. I appreciate the concern. Really. But I'm an adult and I don't have to clear my whereabouts with anyone, got it?" They locked eyes before Casey turned and continued up the stairs, heading into her room.

Edwin sighed and grabbed the phone, dialing George's work number. It rang a few times before his dad answered. "Hey Dad, it's Ed. Casey just got home."

George breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank god."

Edwin nodded, even though George couldn't see him. "Yeah, but she looked like hell and had an attitude to match."

"Well, at least she's home. Just stay out of her hair today, OK? I'll talk to her when I get there." George said.

"Yeah, please do. I for one am getting sick of her bitchiness." Edwin said irritably.

George agreed and ended the call, preparing to phone Derek to let him know Casey was home.

He left a message on Derek's cell and tried to get back to what he was doing.

Casey filled the tub with water, making it as hot as she could stand, before stripping and sliding in. She laid there, trying to forget the night before. Again, she went over everything that happened, and when she got to the part of the two mysterious bodies violating her, she muffled a sob and grabbed her loofah, squirting body wash onto it and scrubbing her body until it was raw. After her bath, Casey went into her room, locking the door and pulling all the shades before collapsing onto the bed and burying herself in the covers.

* * *

Derek was on break when he listened to the message from George. "Derek, it's dad. Edwin just called to let me know that Casey's home. Apparently, she looks like hell and is in one of her moods, but she's safe and sound, so you can stop worrying." A pause, and then, "Derek, even though the circumstances weren't the best, I'm glad we're talking again. I miss you, son." George said before ending the call.

Sighing, Derek deleted the message and went back to eating his lunch, not paying attention to his co-workers who were trying to engage him in conversation. His mind was only on one thing: Casey.

* * *

Hours later, George and Edwin were outside Casey's door, knocking. "Case?" George asked, rapping his knuckles against the wood of her door. Nothing.

"Knock harder." Edwin said to him.

Nodding, George tried again, almost pounding on the wood. "Casey wake up! It's George and Edwin. You need to eat something!"

Casey stirred and tried to ignore all the racket they were making. Finally, she got tired of it. "Go away! I'm not hungry!" she called, pulling the pillow over her head.

"Casey, open this door right now or I'll bust it down!" George said angrily through the door.

"Yeah right," Casey said under her breath. George was about as violent as a bunny rabbit. "I'd like to see you try!" She called out instead.

George and Edwin exchanged looks before George moved back to kick in the door. Edwin had a better idea. "Dad wait. Let me try something." He said before leaving for a minute and returning with a screwdriver.

George moved aside to let Edwin work his magic. A moment later, Edwin had the doorknob off and Casey's door swung open. George entered her room, while Edwin decided to hang back and head downstairs. "Casey?" he asked, looking at the lump of blankets on her bed.

Casey sat up. "George! What the fuck? I told you to leave me the hell alone!" She spat at him angrily.

George said nothing, instead just taking in her appearance. She looked worse than ever, with her pale skin and haunted eyes. It was like she was rotting from the inside. He moved and sat down on her bed. "Casey, we're all worried about you. Can't you see that?" He pleaded with her.

Casey sighed and crossed her arms over her pajama-clad chest. "As I said to Edwin earlier, thank you, but I don't need it." She said, not looking at him.

George had it. He grabbed Casey and pulled her up, dragging her in front of the mirror. "Look at yourself, dammit! This isn't you! You're destroying yourself. What would your mother say if she were here? You'd be breaking her heart, that's what!" He said, his voice loud in her room.

Casey stared at their reflection, her eyes void of any emotion. After a beat, she wrenched herself out of his arms and faced him. "George, please. Just leave me alone, OK? I just need some rest, then I'll be fine." She said, her eyes entreating him to listen.

He stared at her for a minute before nodding and turning to leave. "OK, but you _will_ be eating dinner with us tonight." He said before leaving.

Casey sighed and sat down heavily on her bed. The thought of food made her stomach turn and she laid down to go back to sleep.

* * *

"How's she doing?" Derek asked his dad. As soon as he got home from work, Derek called George.

"She's fine. According to Ed, she basically slept all day. She's up now. I can hear her rattling around up in her room." George said, looking at the ceiling.

Derek sighed. "Well, make sure she gets something to eat." He paused. "I'm thinking of coming home for the weekend. Would that be OK?" He asked hesitantly.

George's heart jumped. He would love nothing more than to see his oldest son. "Derek, you don't have to ask permission to come home, you know that. We would love to see you, wouldn't we Ed?" George said, looking at Edwin for confirmation.

Edwin nodded enthusiastically, making George smile. "Ed says yes."

Derek smirked. "Well, I have to see if it's feasible for me to get there, but I'll let you know before I come, OK?"

"Sounds good, son. I have to get dinner started, so I'll talk to you later." George said.

"OK, bye." Derek said, hanging up. He sat there for a while, then decided to call Gwen. He hadn't spoken to her all day.

* * *

George and Edwin convinced Casey to come down to dinner, and she now sat at the table picking at her food. The silence weighed heavily on everyone but they tried to ignore it. "So, Dad, I'm pretty sure I'm going to get a promotion." Edwin said, looking at George.

"Ed, that's great! What position?" George asked, cutting his meat. He had overcooked it again, making it a bit tough.

"Well, it's not official, but the manager was telling me the other day that there's an opening for the assistant manager position on first shift." Edwin said before taking a sip of his soda.

"I'm proud of you son." George said smiling. Through all this, Casey sat silent, occasionally taking bites of her dinner. A few minutes later, she excused herself and went upstairs, leaving Edwin and George there to look at each other.

* * *

"Max? It's Casey. How are you? I'm fine. Listen, do you want to hang out tonight? OK. Yeah, I can meet you there. OK, see you then, bye." Casey said before hanging up. She dressed and grabbed her purse, heading down the stairs.

She was almost out the door when she encountered George. "Where are you going?" He asked, his hands on his hips.

Casey rolled her eyes. "Out. I'll be back later." She said, grabbing the knob and opening the door.

"I don't think that's a good idea." George said, closer now.

Casey turned and looked at him. "Why not?"

George said nothing for a moment, just staring at her. "Because you were out all last night, doing god-knows-what, and frankly, you look sick. I think you should just stay in and lay low for awhile."

Casey snorted. "Hmmm, let me think about that, um, NO." She said defiantly before slamming the door behind her.

Fifteen minutes later, Casey pulled into a spot at the park where she agreed to meet Max. They weren't even pretending it was anything other than two people hooking up for sex. She got out and walked toward where Max was standing next to his car. She stopped a few feet in front of him. "Hey." She said.

"Uh, hey." Max replied, a look of concern in his eyes. "Are you OK?" He asked her.

Casey glanced down at herself. "Why? Is there something wrong with the way I look?" She asked him, raising her head to look at his face.

"Well, no, it's just . . . you look different." Max said, shifting back and forth nervously.

Casey sighed. "Max, do you want me or not?" She said, motioning to herself.

He stood there a moment, apparently thinking it over. "Well . . ."

"Ugh! Just forget it!" Casey snapped, turning and heading for her car. She jumped in and started it, pulling away with a squeal of her tires, leaving Max there staring after her in shock.

Casey grabbed a cigarette and lit it, turning up the radio. She grabbed her phone and dialed a number, waiting for someone to answer. No one did. "I'm sorry, the number you are calling is unavailable. Please try again." The automated voice said. Casey swore and threw her phone down angrily, driving into the night.

* * *

Gwen and Derek were sitting on the couch, not saying much. He had gotten a hold of her earlier and begged her to come over so they could clear the air. He filled her in on everything that had happened, letting her know that Casey had showed up in London, a little worse for wear but apparently safe. "Well, I'm glad to hear that." Gwen said, relieved.

Derek nodded. "Yeah, but we're all still really worried about her. She's definitely on a path of self-destruction, and no one knows what to do about it." He said, his face full of despair.

Gwen took pity on Derek and moved closer to him, grasping his hand. "Derek, all you can do is be there for her. She has to figure things out for herself."

"I know, but it's hard to be there for her when I live so far away." He said desperately.

Gwen nodded in agreement. "Yeah, that's definitely a problem." She sat there for a bit before speaking again. "You know, you could always move back." She said, throwing a glance at him.

Derek whipped his head up and looked at her. "Gwen, I only have two months left of school. I'm not gonna up and leave before then." He said.

"I know, I was thinking you could move back _after_ graduation." She said, her eyes on his.

Derek leaned forward and put his head in his hands. "Yeah, but who knows where she will be in two months. The way she's going, she might not live that long."

Gwen rubbed his back, saying nothing. He accepted her touch gratefully and sunk into his thoughts.

Casey was in a dive bar that she occasionally frequented when she didn't want to run into anyone she knew. She sat at the bar drinking her beer and ignoring the looks from the greasy men around her. A few had already tried to pick her up, but she was having none of it. Even she had standards, although they were getting lower and lower.

* * *

_Later_:

Edwin was sleeping when he felt the bed dip. "Ed?" A voice whispered in his ear. He swatted it away with his hand and mumbled.

"Edwin . . ." the voice got louder now, waking him up.

"What?" He said, turning over, only to find Casey there beside him. His eyes widened. "What is it? Is everything OK?" He asked, rising onto his elbows.

Casey propped her head on her hand and smirked. "Yeah, everything's OK. I was just sitting in my room and I started feeling bad for being such a bitch to you lately. I know you're only concerned about me, and I appreciate it. I really do." She said smiling slightly.

Edwin narrowed his eyes. He wasn't used to her being so nice to him, and so he was immediately suspicious. Plus, he smelled beer on her breath. "Are you drunk?" He asked, trying to examine her eyes in the dark.

Casey laughed. "Maybe a little, but it doesn't mean I'm not sorry. So, do you forgive me?" She asked in a baby voice, which made Edwin cringe.

"Uh, sure, Case. I forgive you." Edwin said uncomfortably. Something about the way Casey was looking at him creeped him out. "So, I'm gonna go back to sleep now. Is that all you wanted?" He asked.

Casey smiled again, this time showing teeth. "Yeah. Hug?" She asked, laying down and reaching out her arms.

Edwin hesitated before slowly moving into them, feeling her arms clasp him tightly. He put his arms around her and patted her back slightly before swiftly moving away. "Goodnight Case." He said, turning over to face away from her. He hoped she would leave, but when she didn't, he said, "Uh, Case? Why are you still here?"

Casey sniffled. "Ed, I can't sleep. Can I stay in here with you? Please?" She begged, moving up behind him and burying her face in his back, making him tense.

"Uh, yeah, OK. But I really need to go to sleep, and so should you." He said, inching away from her a bit. She just followed him, plastering herself against his back.

"I will. Thanks a lot, Ed. I really appreciate it." Casey said into his neck, making his skin tickle.

"Yeah, OK." He said, closing his eyes wondering how he was ever going to get back to sleep now.

Edwin was having a great dream. He was on a bed, and there was a hot girl down below, sucking his dick. He moaned and put his hand in the girl's hair, running his fingers through it. He felt her mouth suck him harder and his orgasm starting before he bucked into her mouth and let out a sigh. 'Wow, what an awesome dream,' he thought before opening his eyes. He gasped when he saw Casey move up his body and snuggle in next to him while she wiped her mouth with her hand. "Aaahh!" He yelled, jumping up and pulling his boxers up. "What the fuck are you doing?" he said angrily.

Casey just sat there, looking at him patiently. "I was just paying you back for letting me sleep in here with you." She said, an amused look on her face. "Now, come back to bed." She said, holding out her hand to him.

"Uh, no. I think you should go to your own room." He said horrified that he let his own _sister_ suck his dick.

"Why? I told you I can't sleep in there." She said, a pout on her face. Tears appeared in her eyes and she sniffled, wiping them away with her hand quickly. "Edwin, please."

He sighed and paced a bit. "Casey. Don't cry. I hate that. Look, you can stay in here, but no more touching me. Got it? I mean it, or I'll have to tell my dad." He said seriously. He honestly didn't know who this hell this person in front of him was. Trading sexual favors for a little sibling concern? It was downright freaky.

"OK, no more touching. At least not sexually, I promise." Casey said crossing her heart.

Edwin sighed and moved to the bed again, lying down stiffly beside her. He was on his back staring at the ceiling when he felt her lay her head on his chest and sigh contentedly. He closed his eyes and willed himself to go to sleep.

* * *

"Edwin!" George said in his face urgently. "Edwin!"

"Jesus! What now?" He asked groggily, rubbing his eyes.

"What the hell is this?" George asked, moving his hand between Edwin and Casey, who was turned on her side facing the other way.

Edwin expelled a breath a sat up. "Dad, it's not what it looks like, really." He said, getting up and motioning for them to go in the hall.

"Well then, what is it?" George asked, his anger evident.

"Casey woke me up last night saying she couldn't sleep and asked if she could sleep in here. She didn't want to be alone." Edwin said, shrugging. He definitely didn't want his dad to know about the _other thing_.

George sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Edwin, you have to be very careful with Casey right now. She's not thinking clearly. If she comes to you again in the middle of the night, send her to me." He said, keeping his eyes neutral. He could handle Casey better than Edwin ever could. The thought of Ed and Casey together made his stomach turn.

"Dad, I know. She just gave me this puppy dog look and apologized for her bitchy behavior. I couldn't say no." Edwin said, pleading with George to understand.

"Yeah, she's good at that." George said under his breath. He snapped out of it and looked up at Edwin again. "Look, just be careful, OK? I don't want you to get dragged down with her." George said, pointing his finger in Edwin's face.

Edwin nodded and turned to look inside his bedroom, observing Casey as she slept in his bed. With his father watching, he went in and grabbed some clothes before heading to the bathroom for a shower. George watched Ed go into the bathroom before heading into Edwin's room and sitting on the bed, gently waking Casey.

Upon hearing her name, Casey opened her eyes and looked up at George. "Good morning." She said, smiling.

George found her demeanor disturbing. "Good morning, Casey. How are you feeling?" He asked her.

Sitting up, she rubbed her eyes. "I actually got a good night's sleep last night." She said, looking around. Her eyes widened when she realized she was actually in Derek's room, which Edwin had basically adopted as his own.

George nodded. "Well, Edwin told me that you came to him last night begging him to let you stay here. Why didn't you wake me up?" he asked. The words came out sounding jealous and he didn't mean for them to. Or did he . . .?

Casey snickered. "You made it pretty clear that I'm to stay away from you George. I was only honoring your wishes." She said looking at his face.

He closed his eyes for a moment. "Casey. You know what I meant. But I'm still here if you need me. Just not in _that_ way anymore." He said.

She leaned forward a bit. "Well, maybe that's the only way I want." She said before moving back again.

George looked at her. "I'm sorry, Casey. I can't do that. And I want you to stay away from Edwin. He doesn't need you hanging on him either." He said harshly.

Instead of being angry, Casey smirked. "Aw, are you jealous Georgie?" She said, running her hand up his arm. "You know, _you'll_ always be my number one Venturi man." She said flirtily, making George's breath catch.

He pulled away and stood up. "Casey, you need help. I really think we should take you to see a grief counselor or someone like that. In fact, I think the whole family should go." He said, watching her for a reaction.

Casey's grin faded and she looked somber. "I don't need counseling. I'm doing just fine." She stood up and brushed past him, heading into her room and slamming the door behind her.

* * *

It ended up being that Derek couldn't make it home for the weekend because of his studies. He actually wanted to do well in school and stayed in Toronto to study for exams. Even though he was very worried about Casey, he didn't want to screw up his education. He would second-guess that decision for the rest of his life.

**Review please!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

**Note:** Two more chapters to go. We're heading into the home stretch, my dear readers. As always, thank you for hanging in with me and these fcked up characters.

**Chapter Fourteen**

In the following weeks, Casey continued her downward spiral, barely spending any time at home. When she wasn't working at the pub, she was out partying with her friends and people she met at work. George would often wait up for her, just to hear her car pull in and the front door open. Only when he was satisfied that she was safe in her room – alone – would he go to sleep.

Derek was keeping tabs on Casey through George and Edwin, who would call him a few times a week to update him on Casey's activities. Derek often felt sick at the description that Edwin would give him about Casey and her behavior. It was like she was possessed or something. Edwin actually called her a "mere shell" of her former self. What Edwin didn't tell Derek, or George for that matter, was that Casey often snuck into his room at night to sleep on the floor just so she wouldn't have to be alone. So far she hadn't tried anything else on Edwin, and for that he was grateful.

* * *

Casey looked at herself in the full-length mirror. Nowadays, she was finding it hard to locate anything in her closet that didn't just fall off her. She hadn't weighed herself lately, but she knew she must be at least 15 pounds down based on how her clothing fit – or didn't, as was the case. She slipped on a jean skirt and put on a belt, cinching it to the last hole, which was still a bit loose. She shrugged a red tank top over her head and brushed her hair, which seemed to be coming out in handfuls these days. Casey wasn't totally oblivious. She knew she wasn't taking care of herself. The thing was – she didn't care. But she knew that the family did, even going so far as to get Emily to call the other day. Casey had spent half an hour trying to convince Emily that she was fine – no, she wasn't using drugs, yes, she was eating. Emily was talking about getting on a plane to come visit, but Casey vehemently argued her out of it. Because as much as she loved Emily, she didn't need her hanging around nagging Casey about her lifestyle and decisions. She looked at herself one last time before heading out into the night.

Edwin looked up in time to see Casey blow past on her way out the door and opened his mouth to ask where, but he was too slow, and before he knew it the door was again shut, leaving Ed there to ponder what kind of trouble she was heading into.

Casey was at her favorite dive bar – Eddies – where she was shooting pool with a burly motorcycle type named Bubba. Cliché, she knew, but she wasn't about to laugh at the guy for it. She sunk the eight ball and lay down her stick. "Pay up, dude." She said cockily.

Bubba scowled and dug into his pocket, opening his wallet and handing over two twenties. "Dammit. I hate losing to a chick." He said grumpily.

Casey smiled predatorily. "Well, that's what you get for underestimating _this_ chick." She said before turning and heading back to her stool. She laughed as she heard him grumbling behind her.

* * *

"She's not here, Derek." Edwin said to him on the phone. "She left hours ago. And no, I don't know where."

"Dammit! She's trying to kill herself, isn't she?" Derek said angrily. He was in his apartment, trying to study for his last exam but his mind kept wandering to Casey. He had finally given up and called home.

Edwin was a little taken aback at the depth of his brother's concern. He knew that Derek and Casey had gotten closer over the years, but this was surprising. "Derek, chill. There's nothing we can do for her right now. If we try to help her, she just shuts down, making everything 10 times worse around here." Edwin said, rubbing the bridge of his nose. This whole conversation was giving him a headache.

"You guys are coming for my graduation, right?" Derek asked, already knowing the answer.

"Of course, Derek. I have to document this, otherwise no one will believe it." Edwin said, a smile in his voice.

"Funny, Ed, real funny." Derek replied. "Do you think Casey will come?" He asked softly.

Edwin was silent for a moment. "I honestly don't know, bro. I'm hoping there's still a shred of humanity in there somewhere, but right now, I'm doubting it." He paused and then added, "If she doesn't, don't take it personally. She's barely aware of us, let alone someone who lives an hour away."

Derek nodded before saying goodbye and hanging up. He itched to call Casey again, but so far she hadn't answered any of the 50 voice mails he had left. His breath hitched and he lay back on the bed, wondering how he was going to get through to her – before it was too late.

* * *

Casey was on the back of a motorcycle, her hands in the air. She was screaming at the top of her lungs, which made the biker in front of her scowl. She didn't care – she just relished the feel of the wind in her hair. Moments later, they pulled up in front of a dumpy house and she got off the motorcycle, following the guy in.

* * *

George had a bad feeling – a real bad feeling. He paced the kitchen until he couldn't take it anymore and made himself a drink, nursing it while he waited for Casey to return. The lack of sleep was starting to take its toll on him, too. He had dark circles forming under his eyes, and he was finding it harder and harder to focus while at work. Something had to give soon, he knew. However, he was afraid of what that something would be.

* * *

Derek tossed and turned in his bed – again. After sitting up and going to the kitchen for a drink, he got dressed and grabbed his keys, heading out the door. A few minutes later, he was pulling up in front of Gwen's place. After being buzzed in, she opened the door to him and led him into her bedroom, silently passing her roommates, who watched them, but said nothing.

Gwen led him to her bed and lay him down before settling herself next to him. "Derek, you can't go on like this. You need to talk to her." She said, brushing her fingers through his hair.

He closed his eyes at the contact. "I know. Don't you think I've been trying to talk to her? I've left her like a hundred messages, but she's blowing me off." He said frustrated.

"Well, you need to go see her in person and make her listen to you." Gwen added, running her hand down his face and massaging his shoulder.

"I can't. Not until after graduation. I can't screw this up, Gwen. I've worked so hard for this . . ." He said trailing off.

Gwen felt for him. "I know you have, Derek. But it sounds like she's quickly deteriorating. If you don't see her soon, you might regret it." She said gently.

Derek said nothing, but sighed deeply. He rolled over and buried his face into her neck, hugging her tightly. In turn, she wrapped her arms around him and kissed the top of his head, slowly rubbing his back. After a few minutes of this, Derek lifted up his head and looked into Gwen's eyes. She knew that expression and opened her mouth to respond when he nodded his head and lay back down again, both of them silent.

Hours later, when Derek was sleeping soundly beside her, Gwen was wide awake, thinking. She knew what Derek wanted, but she couldn't give him that anymore. Not when he was so obviously taken with someone else. They might have found comfort in each other at one time, but that was over. Gwen resolved to help Derek get the girl he really wanted – Casey.

* * *

The ringing of the phone cut through the silence of the Venturi house at 3:30 a.m. George sat up and grabbed it, bringing it to his ear. "Hello?" He said.

"Yes, is this George Venturi?" An official voice said in his ear.

Immediately, George was wide awake and his heart started to race. "Yes."

"Mr. Venturi, this is Sgt. Robinson with the London Police Department. I'm calling to inform you that we have a Ms. Cassandra McDonald down here at London Memorial Hospital. You are listed as her next-of-kin."

"Oh god, is she OK? What happened?" George said, trying to remain calm.

"Mr. Venturi, we can't give that information over the phone, but we'd like to ask you a few questions. I think you should get down here as soon as you can." The sergeant said gravely.

"Yeah, OK. I'll be right there." George said before hanging up. After dressing quickly, he ran up the stairs to wake Edwin. "Ed, I have to go. It's Casey." He said, shaking his son.

"What? What's the matter?" Edwin said fuzzily.

"I just got a call from the police. Casey's in the hospital. I'm heading up there right now." He said before turning to leave.

Edwin sat straight up. "Dad, wait, I'll come with you." He said, jumping up and pulling on a pair of jeans from the floor.

"OK, I'll be downstairs." George said before leaving.

While waiting for Edwin to come down, George paced back and forth debating whether or not to call Derek. It was the middle of the night, and he didn't have _any_ details about Casey's condition. He decided to wait until he found out more. Minutes later he and Edwin headed out into the night.

Having sped all the way to the hospital, George and Edwin parked and headed into the Emergency entrance of the hospital. George approached the desk. "Yes, my step-daughter was brought in a few hours ago. Casey McDonald?" he said, leaning over the counter.

The attendant looked it up on the computer. "Yes, sir. She's in ICU right now. Follow me."

Nodding, George and Edwin silently followed her down the hall to the elevators. "Take it to the fourth floor. The waiting room is directly on the left." She said before turning and heading back to her desk.

As soon as they exited the elevator, they ran into a police officer, who apparently, was waiting for them. "Mr. Venturi?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm George Venturi." He said looking at the officer.

"I'm Sgt. Robinson. We spoke on the phone." He said, offering his hand.

"Yes, I remember," George said somewhat impatiently, shaking his hand. "This is my son, Edwin." He said, motioning to Ed.

The officer shook Edwin's hand and motioned for them to follow him into the waiting room. They all sat down at a table. "Mr. Venturi . . ."

George cut him off. "Please. Call me George." He waved casually.

"OK, George. I need to ask you a few questions. Procedure, you know." He said, somewhat offhandedly.

George nodded, waiting for the officer to continue.

"Where were you earlier this evening?" He asked, looking at George intently.

George was ready for this. He _was_ a lawyer. "I was home with my son." He answered evenly.

"Uh huh. And do you have any other witnesses to corroborate this?" He asked, scribbling on his note pad.

George and Edwin shared a look. They only had each other's word. "No, it was just the two of us."

"OK. When was the last time you saw Ms. McDonald?" He asked, looking at both George and Edwin.

Edwin spoke up. "I saw her last night at around 9:30. I only know that because I was watching a show that usually comes on at that time." He said, trying not to sound guilty. Cops had a way of making you feel like you were guilty even when you weren't.

"Oh? And what show was that?" The sergeant asked, focusing on Edwin.

"_Deadliest Catch._" Edwin replied, trying to keep his voice even. "It's on every Tuesday. I try not to miss it." He shut up when he caught George's look, which said, _"You're babbling, you can stop now."_

"OK." The sergeant replied, scribbling again. "And how would you describe your relationship with Ms. McDonald?" He said, raising his eyes to George again.

George swallowed. This could be tricky. "Well, we had a close relationship, up until my wife – her mother – died. Then she started acting out and was very hostile to me and my son." George said, motioning with his head to Edwin.

"Can you elaborate on that, George? What were her actions? And is there anyone you know who could have wanted to harm Ms. McDonald?"

George bit back his irritation at the use of Casey's last name. It was so formal. "Sergeant Robinson, I will gladly answer any and all questions you may have about Casey. But I would really like to see her, or at least talk to the doctor about her condition. Can I do that, please?"

The officer said nothing for a moment, simply staring at George as if trying to gauge the depth of his involvement. Apparently satisfied with what he did – or didn't – find, he nodded and stood up. "I'll go see if the doctor is available to speak with you."

"Thank you." George said, relieved. He understood that the police were just doing their job, but a member of his family was lying somewhere in there and he had no idea what her condition was. He sighed and got up, moving to the vending machine. He hated hospital coffee, but if that's all he could get, it would have to do. "I'm having coffee. Do you want some?" George asked Edwin, who was sitting there with his head in his hand.

"Sure." Edwin said dully. His stomach was in knots and he could still feel the officer's eyes on him, measuring him up. It made him extremely nervous. "Dad, shouldn't we call Derek and the rest of the family to let them know about Casey?"

George returned with two cups of coffee and sat down across from him. "Not yet, Ed. We haven't seen her, and we have no idea what happened. Plus, it's the middle of the night, and they couldn't do anything anyway, being so far away. I promise I'll call as soon as we know more, probably in the morning."

Edwin said nothing, but nodded in agreement.

A half an hour later, a doctor entered the waiting room heading for George. He got up and wiped his hands on his legs, eager to hear any news about Casey. "Mr. Venturi, I'm Doctor Bradley. I'll be looking after your daughter for the night." He said, shaking George's hand.

"Call me George." 'These people and their formalities!' "How is she, doctor?" George asked anxiously.

"Well, I'm not sure what the police told you, but I can tell you this. When she arrived, she was unconscious with a head injury."

George blew out a breath at this, and he heard Edwin's breath catch also.

"There were also signs of an assault." The doctor paused, gauging George's reaction. "Whoever did this was very angry. They beat her up pretty good."

"Can we see her?" He asked, his voice strangled.

"Yes, but you can't stay long. She's still out, plus we have her sedated, although we didn't give her much because of the level of alcohol in her system."

George nodded. "Yes, she's been drinking heavily since her mother died." He said, running a hand over his face.

"Yes, well, there are also signs that she is malnourished. In addition, she is suffering from pneumonia and low iron levels. She'll need to stay for a few days at least until we get her back where she needs to be." said the doctor seriously.

"Yes, of course." George agreed. He and Edwin followed the doctor to Casey's room.

"Remember, just a few minutes," the doctor cautioned again before turning and walking away.

They didn't move, instead taking in her appearance. Casey was hooked up to a few machines and her head was wrapped with gauze. Both her eyes were blackened, and her arm was in a sling. George moved forward slowly, Edwin close behind. They stood over her, their eyes taking in her form. George reached forward and grasped Casey's hand, which was cold to the touch. He examined her fingers, showing several broken fingernails. She must have struggled with whoever did this to her, and George vowed to help the police do everything they could do to find them.

They sat there for awhile until a nurse came in and kicked them out. "Why don't you go home and get some sleep, Mr. Venturi? She'll be here tomorrow." The nurse, a kindly looking older woman, said to him.

George didn't want to leave, but knew he had to. He had to call in to work and grab some clothes and other things for Casey. Edwin also needed to get some sleep. He nodded and together, he and Edwin went home, neither saying anything on the way there.

* * *

Casey awoke in unfamiliar surroundings. All she knew was she was having trouble seeing. What little she could make out was white. All white. She groaned and shifted, causing pain to shoot through her body, especially her left arm. A nurse appeared and stood at the side of the bed. "Ms. McDonald! I'm so happy to see you awake. How are you feeling?"

Casey groaned. "I feel like shit. Where am I?'

"London Memorial Hospital. You're in the ICU. Do you remember anything that happened last night?" The nurse pressed. The police told her to call them as soon as she woke up, but in the meantime, she tried to get as much information as she could.

"I remember playing pool and riding on a motorcycle, but after that it's all a blank." Casey said putting the hand not in the sling to her head. "What happened to me?"

"Well, it looks like someone mistook you for a punching bag. Do you know anyone who would want to hurt you?" The nurse asked gently.

Casey snorted. "Only everyone." She said sarcastically.

The nurse didn't know what to say to that and left to call the police.

* * *

After a few hours of sleep, George called in to work to let them know he would be out for a few days. He would have his cell in case there was an emergency. He showered and dressed, going to Casey's room to collect some toiletries and clothing for her. He had no idea how long she would be in the hospital, so he also grabbed a few of her favorite books and her ipod. George left a note for Edwin, not wanting to wake him up, before leaving for the hospital.

* * *

Casey had spoken to the police, but wasn't able to provide them with much information. They asked about her relationship with George and Edwin, and she told them in no uncertain terms that neither of them was responsible for her attack. She told them about Eddies, and how she had hustled pool before taking off with a guy on his motorcycle. She gave them his description, but couldn't remember his name. Casey tried to remember where the house he took her to was, but so far wasn't having any luck. The officers left and promised they would do some investigating before coming back.

Shortly after the cops left, her doctor came in and pulled up a chair next to the bed. "Hello, Casey. How are you feeling? Any pain?" He asked kindly.

"Yeah, my whole body hurts." She answered annoyed.

He nodded but said nothing. After a beat, he asked, "Were you able to provide the police with any information about your attacker?"

"No, I can't remember a damn thing."

The doctor looked at her chart, which was resting on his lap before continuing. "Casey, during our examination, we found evidence that you were sexually assaulted." He said nothing after that, watching her eyes for any recognition.

She shrugged. _Figures_. "OK," was all she said.

The doctor's eyes widened. "We were going to administer the morning-after pill, but before then we had to take your blood." A pause, "To rule out pregnancy."

She stared at him, her face blank.

The doctor continued. "Casey. Your blood levels indicated pregnancy."

Casey said nothing, absorbing the information. 'I'm pregnant?' "Wait, you can tell that I'm pregnant already from last night?" She asked incredulously.

The doctor looked confused for a moment, then shook his head. "No, what I meant was, you were pregnant _before_ last night's assault." He said slowly.

Casey's eyes widened. "Oh."

The doctor said nothing, waiting for Casey to say more. When she didn't, he again spoke. "Unfortunately, we also discovered that the fetus is no longer viable."

Casey shook her head. "What?"

"Your baby – it's no longer alive." He said, his eyes sympathetic.

Involuntarily, tears sprung to her eyes. She wiped them away and asked, "How far along was I?"

"From what we could tell, about four months." Casey was stunned. How could she be pregnant for four months and not know it? You think she would have noticed not having her period, but now that she thought about it, there were many things that escaped her attention. "Was it a boy or a girl?" she whispered, clutching the hospital blanket that covered her.

"The tests we conducted didn't give us that information. Casey, we'll have to go in and retrieve the fetus – do a D&C."

"What's that?" Casey asked, her eyes shadowed.

"It's like an abortion. We need to get in there and remove all traces of the fetal tissue." He paused, and then added, "We're thinking of doing that tomorrow, if you're up to it."

Casey nodded silently. "Whatever you think is best."

The doctor stood. "I'm going to let you rest now. I'm sure the other doctors have filled you in on your pneumonia and anemia?"

She nodded, looking down.

"OK. Well, I'll be back tomorrow morning. If you need anything, you know to push the button for the nurse, right?"

"Yes, thank you, doctor." She said softly.

"You're welcome." He said, before turning to head out the door.

"Doctor?" Casey's voice stopped his progress.

"Yes?" He said, turning around.

"Does anyone else know about my baby?"

The doctor looked at her for a moment before answering. "No. It's not our place to disclose that information."

Casey nodded and turned her head toward the window, ending the conversation. She didn't hear the doctor leave.

**Review please!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

**Note:** This is the last chapter, and I had a hell of a time wrapping it up. Writing an ending is just about the hardest thing I've ever done, but I wanted to make it good. I'm hoping y'all are still out there and still interested in this story. I'm thinking of writing a sequel. Let me know if this is something that you would be interested in reading. My heartfelt thanks go to all who have read and reviewed. You are awesome!

**Chapter Fifteen**

Casey was resting when she heard the door open. She turned her head and observed George setting down a few bags on the floor next to her bed.

He looked up and smiled when he noticed she was awake. "Hey Case. How are you today?"

She smiled thinly. "Just groovy, George, and yourself?" she answered sarcastically.

George frowned. "I hear there are a few issues we need to clear up."

Casey looked at him confused. "Huh?"

"You have pneumonia and anemia. Looks like you'll be in here for a few days." He said, sitting down in the recliner between her bed and the window.

"That's what they keep telling me." She said dully.

"Case, I have to call your dad and Lizzie to let them know what's happening." George said, his voice low.

She whipped her head up at that. "What? No! All you'll do is worry them." She said frantically.

George shook his head. "Casey, they're your family – they deserve to know."

"Not if I don't want them to." Casey huffed.

"Well, I'm not going to argue with you about it. I'm calling them and that's final." He said, his voice brooking no argument.

Casey glared at him, but said nothing. He decided to go ahead and tell her the news that would undoubtedly piss her off even further. "I'm also calling Derek."

She exploded. "Don't you _dare_ call him! My life is none of his business!"

George was taken aback by her outburst. "Casey, Derek cares about you very much. He wants to know what's going on with you."

Casey laughed cruelly. "Well, I could care less what he wants. No calling him, and that's final." She said coldly.

George sighed and was about to argue further when a nurse entered. "I'm sorry, but I need to examine the patient. You'll have to wait outside." She said politely.

He stood up and gave Casey one last look before heading to the waiting room.

* * *

"Dennis, it's George. I need you to call me as soon as you get this message. It's about Casey." He said before hanging up. He also tried Lizzie's cell, but couldn't get through to her either. Didn't anyone answer their phones anymore? He sighed and paced in the waiting room, debating whether or not to call Derek. He heard what Casey said, but it just didn't feel right to keep Derek in the dark. He knew that his son was in love with Casey – as screwed up as she may be right now – and he also knew how angry Derek would be if he found out she was in the hospital and no one bothered to call him. He made up his mind and grabbed his phone, dialing the number.

Derek was hysterical – to say the least – when George told him about Casey. "What? What happened? Is she OK?" He asked, his voice loud in George's ear.

George held the phone away from his head a bit. "Yes, she's OK," he paused, gearing up for the explosion, "She was attacked, Derek. Someone beat her up pretty good. On top of that, she also has pneumonia and a severe case of anemia."

Derek was filled with rage. "Do they know who it was?" He asked through clenched teeth.

"No, and Casey can't remember anything." George paused, "Derek, she didn't want me to call you. In fact, she was quite adamant about it. But I didn't feel right keeping you in the dark. It's up to you if you want to come or not."

Derek was offended. "Why wouldn't I come?"

George thought about that. "Well, I know you probably won't get a warm welcome from her, and I know your graduation is next week. By the way, how did exams go?" George asked, wanting Derek to know that even with all that was happening here, he was still thinking about him.

"They were fine, Dad. I'm coming. I'll be leaving as soon as I call my job." Derek said resolutely.

George nodded into the phone. "OK. I'll see you when you get here, then. Drive safe." He said before hanging up.

Derek threw his phone on the bed and went to go get his duffel.

* * *

After quickly packing and calling Gwen to let her know what was happening – she wanted to come but Derek refused – he was on his way back home for the first time since everything seemed to go to hell. His mind was whirling as he sped along the highway, thanking God that Casey was alive and in a place where she seemingly couldn't harm herself. The sun blinded his eyes as he drove west, cursing any car that he thought was going too slow.

* * *

George and Edwin were sitting with Casey, who was not saying much at the moment. Sipping her hospital fare, which consisted of chicken broth, Casey tried not to gag at the taste. She had no interest in food, but the doctor threatened to feed her through an I.V. if she didn't start eating. With that in mind, she took another sip of the broth and swallowed. She froze at the sound of yelling outside the door.

"Sir, sir, you can't go in there! Only two people allowed at once!" A nurse's voice sounded in the hallway.

George, Edwin and Casey all turned their heads in the direction of the disturbance. It was then that Derek appeared, looking harried and flushed. Casey gasped and they locked eyes, neither saying anything. After a moment, George got up and moved to hug his son. Surprisingly, Derek didn't push him away, instead hugging George back. "Derek, it's nice to see you." George said, a smile on his face.

Derek nodded in acknowledgement, but said nothing. "Hey bro!" Edwin said, hopping up and giving Derek a man-hug. Derek smiled and ruffled Edwin's hair, which never failed to annoy him. "Derek, stop! I'm not a little kid anymore." He groused, but with a smile on his face.

"Sorry, bro. I keep forgetting." Derek said, his eyes on Casey, who self-consciously pulled the blanket up further.

They all looked at each other until George cleared his throat and motioned for Edwin to follow him. "Come on, Ed. Let's give Casey and Derek a few minutes alone. I'm hungry anyway."

Edwin nodded and followed George out, throwing a look at Derek before heading to the cafeteria. They heard Edwin talking, "God, I hate hospital food! Can't we go across the street and grab something there? The food here gives me gas . . ."

Derek smirked but said nothing, taking in Casey's appearance. Her head was still wrapped with gauze and her eyes were swollen, the area around them all sorts of different colors. Her left arm was in a sling and she was covered in small cuts. He moved forward and sat down in the chair vacated by Edwin.

Casey stared at him defiantly before Derek spoke. "So, you really did it this time, didn't you?" As soon as he said it, he wanted to kick himself. He hadn't meant for it to come out so antagonistically.

Casey rolled her eyes. "Fuck off, Derek. What are you even doing here?"

"Dad called me." He said, waiting for the blow-up.

None came. "I knew he wouldn't listen to me." She said snottily. "No one ever listens to me."

Derek refrained from rolling his eyes at her whininess. "Casey, we all care about you. Why can't you just accept that and stop bitching?" Damn, he was doing it again.

"Why don't you get out of my face! I don't need or want you here!" She yelled in his face, causing him to flinch and move back.

He steeled himself and leaned forward. "Nope. I'm not going anywhere, missy. You're stuck with me."

Casey snorted and moved, trying to shift her body away from him. The more she tried to move, the more painful it was. Finally she gave up and settled for just turning her head away from him.

He said nothing and readied himself for a long night.

Derek woke when he heard someone moving around next to him. He opened his eyes and saw a nurse leaving the room. Getting up, he stretched his back and looked at Casey, who was sleeping, before leaving the room. Derek took the time to use the bathroom and grab something from the cafeteria before heading back to her bedside. She was still sleeping when he returned, and he settled himself in the recliner next to her bed and watched her for awhile before dropping off again himself.

* * *

While waiting for Lizzie and Dennis to arrive, George decided the house could use some cleaning. They both got his message at different times and each called, frantic, thinking the worst about Casey. He calmed them as best he could and told them very little, wanting to speak with them more about her condition in person. Dennis was furious – to say the least.

He was just finishing the bathroom when he heard the front door open and Lizzie call upstairs. "George? We're here!" George threw his dirty rag away and headed downstairs. "Lizzie! I'm so glad to see you." He said, hugging her tightly.

Lizzie returned his hug and kissed him on the cheek. "You too."

They broke apart and George moved to Dennis, shaking his hand. "Dennis, nice to see you. I wish it was under better circumstances."

Dennis nodded gravely. "How is she?"

George sighed. "She's doing OK. I have to warn you, though. She looks pretty bad. Her head is wrapped and both her eyes are blackened. She's also suffering from pneumonia and anemia." He said, watching Lizzie and Dennis for their reactions.

Dennis's face turned red and he was about to say something but thought better of it. Together, they headed out in George's car to the hospital, leaving Edwin behind, who had to work.

* * *

Derek was sleeping when he heard a squeal that made him jump up. "What the . . .?" Opening his eyes, he saw Lizzie, Dennis and George all standing there.

"Oh my god! Casey . . ." Lizzie wailed, going to her sister and throwing her arms around her.

Casey was awake, but a little out of it from the D&C (she told Derek they were doing routine tests and the doctors weren't gonna tell him) and her vision swam as she tried to focus on her sister. "Liz? What are you doing here?" She said, her voice somewhat jumbled.

"Do you think I wouldn't visit my sister in the hospital?" Lizzie cried, making Casey close her eyes in pain. Just then, a nurse appeared.

"I'm sorry, I'm going to have to ask that you please quiet down. You're disturbing the other patients." She said, before turning to leave.

Lizzie got control of herself, moving to give Dennis room to hug Casey. "I'm so sorry about this, Casey. How are you feeling?"

Casey furrowed her brow. 'Why is he sorry? He's not the one who beat me up.' "Looks worse than it is, Dad." She said, trying to inject some confidence in her tone.

Derek said nothing, but she could feel his eyes on her. It was driving her nuts.

"Derek, have you been here all night?" Lizzie asked, her eyebrow raised.

"Yep. Someone's gotta keep her out of trouble." Derek said with a cockiness he didn't feel.

The others laughed but Casey scowled. George, Dennis and Lizzie stayed awhile before heading out. Lizzie wanted to get her things settled and grab a bite to eat. She and Dennis gave Derek a funny look when he told them he would be staying, but said nothing. They promised to be back the next day and Casey watched them go, wishing Derek was going with them. To her dismay, he didn't move, instead staying where he was in the recliner, eating chips out of a bag and watching TV. It annoyed her to no end. "Derek, why don't you leave?" She asked, her voice low.

Derek turned his attention away from the TV. "I already told you. Someone's gotta keep an eye on you. You would probably sneak out otherwise." He said, crunching on another handful of chips.

Casey rolled her eyes. "Do I look like I'm in any position to be sneaking anywhere?"

Derek didn't spare her a glance. "Don't care. I'm not leaving."

Sighing loudly, Casey spoke. "Look, Derek, if this is about you feeling guilty for what happened at your place, don't. I'm over it. It was a mistake, OK? You can move on now and leave me. Really, I don't mind."

Derek snapped his eyes toward her and put the bag of chips down, wiping the crumbs off his shirt. His eyes not leaving hers, he spoke slowly and clearly so there would be no chance of any misunderstanding. "Casey, what happened that night was my fault. I shouldn't have acted that way. I was freaked out, is all, and I felt that things were moving too fast. You were obviously still grieving for your mom, and I didn't want to take advantage of you." He stopped and leaned forward, taking her hand in his. "But Casey, I'm ready to admit that my dad is right: I'm in love with you, and I'm going to stick by you no matter what. So, if you're thinking I'm gonna get tired and give up, you've got another thing coming." He finished, taking a deep breath and feeling the weight on his shoulders disappear.

Casey laid there, silent, but Derek could see her lips trembling. He still had her hand in his grasp, and he moved his chair forward and brought it to his lips, kissing the bruised and battered knuckles. 'She must have really put up a fight.' He thought as he brushed his lips over them.

Casey said nothing, just watching Derek handle her with such care that it broke her heart. She didn't know what to think. She wanted to believe him, found herself hoping against hope that it was true, but all she could remember was the way he practically pushed her out of his apartment after their kiss. Casey hardened her heart, disgusted at herself for almost falling for his pretty words. The feelings that his actions were conjuring up scared her, because if she admitted that she had feelings for him too, well, she didn't know what that would mean. "Derek, please. Stop." She whispered, pulling her hand away.

Derek let her go and raised his head, his eyes serious. "Why, Case? Are you afraid that you just might care for me too?"

Casey swallowed audibly and tried to sit up. "No. I'm not afraid. I don't have any feelings for you other than annoyance that you're still here." She said, trying to sound pissed.

Derek smirked. "Case, you have to sound a little more convincing than that to get me to leave." He said, leaning back in the recliner and kicking his feet back up. "Until then, I guess we'll be roomies."

Casey sat there staring at him with her mouth open, wondering what the hell she did to deserve this. Derek felt her eyes on him, and patted himself on the back for clearing it with the docs to let him stay. Well, he actually had to twist their arm, telling them that Casey was very self-destructive and would only behave if he was there to watch her. They finally gave in to his charms and he smiled in memory.

Casey looked at Derek, who was smiling about something and growled. "Ugghhhhh! Dammit, Derek! You drive me nuts!" She said loudly, pounding her good arm on the bed.

Derek said nothing, but snickered before shoving some more chips in his mouth.

At home, George and Dennis sat at the kitchen table having a discussion. Rather, George sat there and listened while Dennis tore him a new one. "George, what the hell has been happening around this house? I thought you were keeping an eye on Casey." He said angrily.

George tried not to look too guilty. If Dennis knew the extent to which George "kept an eye on" Casey, he would undoubtedly kill him on the spot. "Dennis, I've tried, but Casey is an adult. She comes and goes as she pleases, and it's very hard to keep tabs on her."

"That's no excuse! Couldn't you tell she was losing weight? And how the hell did she get pneumonia? And anemia? Jesus, the girl is a mess!" Dennis said, throwing back the scotch that George had fetched for him.

George took a breath and tried to remain calm. "Dennis, there's no excuse other than we were all devastated by Nora's death. And I have to admit that for a great deal of the time, Casey was doing everything around the house, often taking care of _me_. I know I shouldn't have let that happen, but I think she needed to step into that role – to help her deal with it." He sighed and continued. "I knew she wasn't taking care of herself. Ed and I both tried to get her to eat – but she wouldn't listen. And the more we tried, the more hostile she got. Dennis, it's gotten way out of control, and I, for one, am glad you and Lizzie are here to help us."

Dennis said nothing, instead nodding his head and taking another sip of scotch. He knew that he wouldn't be able to stay long because of work, but he would stay as long as he could to help his oldest daughter get back on track.

The next morning, Lizzie, Edwin, George and Dennis were eating breakfast when Lizzie mentioned that she would like to visit Casey by herself for a little while. The men agreed and Lizzie took Edwin's car to the hospital. She arrived just as Derek was leaving the room for a bite, and she thanked him for giving her and Casey time to talk.

* * *

Casey's eyes brightened a bit when she saw her sister enter the room. "Hi Liz. Is Dad with you?" Casey asked, looking around Lizzie for their father.

"No, not this time. I told them I wanted to visit you alone. You know – to catch up." Lizzie said, sitting down next to Casey's bed. Casey was looking a little better, with the swelling in her eyes starting to dissipate and the gauze gone from around her head.

"Well, I'm glad we have some time to spend together. I just wish it wasn't in a hospital." Casey said wistfully.

Lizzie nodded. "I know." She paused and took a deep breath. "What happened, Case? If you were suffering so much, why didn't you call me? I would have been there in an instant if you had asked me."

Casey looked away and said nothing. When she spoke, it was so soft that Lizzie had to lean forward to hear her. "Liz, I didn't want to bother you. You seemed so happy with your life in New York. I would never want to disturb that. Besides, I wasn't as bad as everyone is saying. I just went a little crazy, is all." She said, waving her good arm casually.

Lizzie doubted that, but she didn't say anything. Instead, she decided to give Casey some news of her own. "Casey, you need to get better. Cuz my baby's gonna want to meet her aunt." Lizzie said, her eyes plastered on Casey's face.

Casey didn't react at first, but when what Lizzie said sunk in, she turned her head and looked at her. "What did you say?"

Lizzie smiled slightly. "I said, you're going to be an aunt. I'm pregnant, Case."

Casey's mouth fell open and she involuntarily looked at her sister's stomach, which still appeared flat to her. "How long?"

"Two months. But Dad doesn't know yet, so please don't tell anyone, OK? Only Glen and I know, and of course, you." Lizzie said, positively glowing.

Stunned, Casey stuttered. "But Liz, you're only 18! You're too young to be having a baby!"

Lizzie rolled her eyes. "I would have expected something like that from Dad, but you too? Case, Glen and I are in love. He asked me to marry him, and I said yes. That's also a secret." She said, conspiratorially.

"If it's such a good idea, then why are so you intent on keeping it a secret?" Casey asked accusingly.

Lizzie sighed. "Well, because I know Dad's gonna freak. Glen's parents too. And George. And Edwin. Even Derek. They'll all freak, and I really don't feel like dealing with it all yet. But I wanted to tell you, because you're my big sis and frankly, I was ready to bust from keeping the secret."

Casey nodded and said nothing. This made the news of her own pregnancy pop into her head. She fought back tears and said, "Well, Liz, if you're happy, I'm happy. I wish you all the best." She added, reaching out her good arm for a hug.

Smiling, Lizzie moved into Casey's embrace and they hugged for a long time.

Derek hovered in the hallway, trying not to listen in. It was enough for him to know that the sisters were catching up and hopefully re-bonding with each other. Casey would need all the support she could get to make it through this.

* * *

The police had been by a few more times, trying to jog Casey's memory, to no avail. Casey didn't – or didn't want to – remember what happened. They seemed a bit frustrated, but promised to keep investigating, questioning any witnesses who saw Casey with the biker guy she had been playing pool with. The police thought he might somehow be involved, if not totally responsible for, Casey's attack.

A few days later Casey was moved out of critical care into a private room. Her body was responding well to the antibiotics they were administering for the pneumonia, and her anemia was also starting to be taken care of. Casey did feel better, physically, at least. She couldn't, however, stop thinking about her baby and what had happened to it. She totally blamed herself for killing the baby, no doubt all the drinking and smoking, not to mention the not eating or sleeping well, all of it probably contributed to its demise. Casey also speculated on who the father could be, and determined that she would probably never know, considering the amount of men she slept with. The thought made her eyes cloud with tears and she sobbed into the pillow.

At that moment, Derek came walking in, carrying a stuffed bear and some balloons. He wasn't staying every night anymore, but was often there during the day. When Casey switched rooms, he decided she needed some cute touches to brighten up the décor. Seeing her in tears, however, he forgot the bear and balloons and rushed over to her bedside. "Case? What's the matter?" He asked, his hand on her shoulder.

Casey said nothing, continuing to cry uncontrollably. It seemed as if once she started, she couldn't stop. All of it – everything that had happened since her mother died – it all came back in flashes – like a bad movie that wouldn't stop. The men, the drinking, the anonymous sex – winding up here only to be informed that she was pregnant, but by her own doing, the baby was dead. Casey's body shook with the force of her sobs, and she could distantly hear Derek cooing in her ear that everything would be OK and he would be there for her. The thought should have comforted her, but instead made her feel worse. She didn't deserve to have someone care about her. She deserved to die for what she had done, and that was exactly what she wanted to do.

Derek sat at Casey's bedside, helplessly watching as she cried herself out, finally falling into a restless sleep. He observed her for awhile before excusing himself to call Gwen, who he had been keeping up to date on what was happening. "Derek, she needs you now more than ever. Even if it seems like you're the last person in the world she wants there, don't leave. If you do, you'll regret it forever." Gwen had said to him on the phone a few nights earlier.

He listened and silently agreed. He had already made up his mind to miss his graduation and just have the diploma mailed to him. George had strenuously objected at first, but when faced with Derek's vehemence, finally gave in. Derek also quit his job and decided to move back to London. He would have to return to Toronto to get the rest of his stuff. At first, his roommates were none-too-pleased with him for bugging out on them, but when he assured them that he would pay through the end of the lease, which was in three months anyway, they changed their tune.

* * *

The doctors at the hospital concluded that with Casey's quick healing, she could be released as early as next week, which made everyone happy. However, George and the rest of the family were pushing for Casey to be committed to a "home" for people with substance abuse problems and mental issues. George and Dennis agreed that Casey needed further treatment and both had lengthy discussions with the physicians, but no one had told Casey yet what they were planning. Dennis and Lizzie had gone back to New York, with Lizzie promising to come back as soon as she could. Dennis spoke with Casey by phone daily, and was encouraged by the progress she was making.

George sat down with Edwin and Derek and discussed how they would go about approaching Casey about the idea of rehab. Derek had confided in Edwin his feelings for Casey after Edwin kept asking him why he wasn't returning to Toronto for his graduation and why he was staying at the hospital with Casey so much. Edwin took it surprisingly well, figuring that deep down he already suspected Derek had feelings for his step-sister. Edwin was more determined than ever to keep the events of that one night between he and Casey a secret.

It was decided that Derek would broach the subject of Casey going to a group home – The London Rehabilitation Center, it was called – which served not only patients suffering from addiction, but also treated victims of accidents and disease. It was a huge facility on the north side of town, and had an excellent reputation for success. George had already called and spoke extensively to the director, who assured him that there was a spot open for Casey, and she could come at any time. Since Dennis volunteered to foot the no-doubt expensive bill, George was hoping that Derek would be successful in convincing Casey that she needed more help than what the hospital could offer.

Derek was thinking the same thing as he walked down the hall toward Casey's room. He struggled to keep his breathing even, and could feel the sweat under his arms. Noticing the door open, he proceeded to walk in.

He found Casey watching TV. "Hey Spacey. How's it hangin?" He said jauntily, trying to make her smile. Lately their exchanges had gotten less tense, with her smiling more and joking with him. The awkwardness was still there, as his admission of love for her hung out there heavily, but he felt no regret.

Casey smiled and answered. "It's hangin pretty good, thanks for asking."

Derek smiled back and took the chair next to her. "So, what are we watching today?" He asked, glancing at the screen. It looked like one of those cheesy daytime judge shows.

Casey shrugged. "Don't know. I'm just flipping through the channels. There's no cable in this joint. It sucks."

"Aw, I'm sorry to hear that. Do you need me to entertain you?"

Hearing Casey's laugh made Derek's day. "Uh, no, that's OK. I can only shudder at what you consider 'entertainment.'"

"Ouch, you wound me." Derek said, clutching his heart. Silence descended on the room and they looked at each other before Casey broke away first, turning her head to look out the window.

Derek sat there nervously before speaking again. "Uh, Case. Have you thought about what you're going to do after you get out of here?"

Casey turned back toward him, a puzzled look on her face. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I was thinking . . . we were thinking . . . that you need more treatment than this place can provide for you." It came out in a rush, and Derek took a deep breath when he finished.

Casey said nothing, her face a mask of stone. Finally she spoke. "Derek, what are you trying to say?" She asked, her hand fiddling with her blanket.

"I'm trying to say that you need rehab, Case. Or counseling of some sort. Because even if you're physically OK, there's still a lot of healing that has to take place mentally for you to be truly healthy." Derek said, gauging her for a reaction.

Casey was silent, but Derek could tell by the look in her eyes that she was ready to blow. She took a deep breath before replying. "Are you talking about me being _committed_?"

Derek knew she knew exactly what he meant, and he didn't want to blow it. "Casey, we all care about you. But you have to admit, your behavior before the attack was erratic and dangerous. You weren't taking care of yourself, and you were trying to deal with your grief by drinking and smoking it away. Do you really think that you can stay away from that lifestyle once you are released from here?"

Casey took a deep breath. "So you've all been talking about me, deciding that I'm a basket case and need rehab. Well, that's just great. What about what I want?"

"What do _you_ want, Case?"

She was silent as she looked at him, with his earnest expression and soft eyes. The anger she was prepared to launch at him vanished and all that was left was despair and anguish. "I want my mom back." She said, the words coming out in a strangled whisper. The tears fell before she could stop them, and she covered her face with her hands, not wanting to cry, but not able to stop.

Derek rose from the chair and sat on the bed. Leaning over, he wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly, feeling her body shake with sobs against him. He said nothing, instead letting his hands speak for him. They moved up and down her back, gently rubbing and caressing the skin where it was exposed from the gown.

A few minutes later, Casey got control of herself and moved out of Derek's arms, wiping her eyes with her fingers. Derek leaned over and grabbed a tissue off the bedside table, handing it to her. She smiled gratefully and blew her nose.

Derek waited, not wanting to push Casey, but feeling that she was on the verge of making an important decision. She could either go into rehab, or try to handle her grief on her own – and they all knew how that had turned out so far. She sighed and Derek caressed the skin of her cheek with his hand, marveling at her beauty despite all she had done to destroy herself. Even with her pale skin and limp hair, Derek still thought she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He wondered when he first started thinking that, but couldn't exactly remember. It seemed like it had always been that way.

"Derek?" Her voice startled him and he jumped.

"Yeah?"

"If I go, will you come visit me?" Her voice was small and uncertain.

"You couldn't keep me away if you tried." He said, his warm eyes on hers.

Casey took him in, and decided that he was telling the truth. It was time to start a new chapter in her life. With a voice stronger and more steady than it had been in a long time, she said, "I'll go."

Derek fought the urge to jump up and down and pat himself on the back. He knew everyone – George, Edwin, Lizzie, Dennis and Marti – would all be glad that Casey made the right decision. Instead, he played it cool and said, "Hey, do you think they'll let me be your roommate?"

Casey bust out laughing. "I'm trying to quit my bad habits, Derek. Do you want to drive me back to them?"

His eyes dancing, Derek said, "I just want to be with you, Case. That's all."

Reaching forward, Casey pulled him to her. "Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it."

Derek smiled in her hair. "I hope so, Case. I hope so."

**The End!**

**Review please!**


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